NE NEWS SERVICE
HYDERABAD/CHENNAI, DEC 15
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao called on his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin at the latter’s camp office on Chittaranjan Road in Alwarpet, Chennai, on Tuesday. Their meeting gained significance in the wake of the TRS’ decision to take on the Union government over its anti-farmer policies and discrimination towards non-BJP-ruled States.
This is Chandrashekhar Rao’s maiden meeting with Stalin after the latter became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in May this year. Earlier in 2019, they had a meeting when Stalin was the Opposition leader in Tamil Nadu Assembly.
During his courtesy call to Stalin, the Chief Minister was accompanied by his family members. He was extended a warm welcome by his Tamil Nadu counterpart upon his arrival at the latter’s residence. Both the Chief Ministers were seen exchanging pleasantries and felicitating each other explaining their camaraderie.
Sources said both the Chief Ministers had a separate meeting which was originally scheduled for about half an hour, but the meeting went beyond its schedule and lasted for nearly 50 minutes. Industries Minister KT Rama Rao and Rajya Sabha member J Santosh Kumar as well as Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi were also present at the meeting.
It is learnt that Chandrashekhar Rao invited Stalin for the reopening ceremony of Sri Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Yadadri in March next year. He had also reportedly discussed on the TRS party’s contentions with the BJP-led Central government which was adopting anti-farmer policies and was also showing discrimination towards non-BJP-ruled States apart from trying to destroy the federal structure of the nation. The duo is learnt to have shared their views on the national politics and administration, and is said to have agreed to discuss further on the action plan to be adopted to fight against the unilateral decisions of the Centre.
On Monday, Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao went to Tamil Nadu along with his family to offer prayers at Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple in Srirangam near Tiruchirappalli. He made a night halt in Chennai ahead of his meeting with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Tuesday. He is also learnt to have called on Andhra Pradesh former Governor ESL Narasimhan, who is residing in Chennai, and enquired about his health condition.