Mumbai

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao met his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday to firm up an anti-BJP front but it was the latter’s remark about Hindutva that carried the barb.

Thackeray alleged that the country's federalism was being damaged. "The atmosphere that should be there between states and the Centre is not seen today. This politics will not work. So, we have made a fresh start," he said at a joint press conference after the meeting.

"The situation prevailing in the country and the way low-grade politics is happening is not Hindutva," said Thackeray, whose party Shiv Sena severed ties with the BJP in 2019 to form the government in Maharashtra in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.
 

"Hindutva is not about violence or revenge. If things continue like this, what is the future of the country?" asked Thackeray.

K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) warned the central government that it must change its policies or it will suffer.

KCR also said he discussed the ways of bringing changes in the country with the Maharashtra chief minister.

"Central agencies are being misused in a bad manner. We condemn it. The central government should change its policies. It will suffer if it doesn't. The country has seen many such things," KCR said.

The Telangana chief minister said there would be good results of his meeting Thackeray and Maharashtra cabinet ministers. "You will get to see a good result of our meeting soon. I invite Uddhav Ji to come to Telangana," KCR said.

He also said that a detailed discussion took place on improving developmental issues in the country.

"We had an elaborate discussion on improving and expediting developmental issues and bringing structural and policy changes in the country. We've agreed on all the issues," he added.

KCR also asserted, "We both (KCR and Uddhav) are brothers because our states share 1,000 km of border. With the cooperation of the Maharashtra government, we built the Kaleshwaram project which has benefited Telangana. We look forward to working together with Maharashtra."

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut who was also present in the meeting said that they will also meet other political parties and the country will see many changes in future.

Actor Prakash Raj was also present in the meeting at Varsha bungalow, Maharashtra CM's official residence in Mumbai.

This meeting came after KCR gave a call to Opposition parties to unite against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Sunday said the meeting will expedite the process of political unity at the national level against the BJP.

KCR had earlier hit out at the BJP and said that it should be "expelled" from the country or else the country will be "ruined". He also called for political forces coming together to "oust" the BJP from power.

As part of efforts to bring various opposition parties together against the BJP, KCR is also planning to meet his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee.