Chandrababu Naidu meets Rahul Gandhi, Pawar and Farooq Abdullah; discusses future of nation

Intensifying the efforts in bringing all non-BJP parties together, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday met Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference patriarch Farooq Abdullah in New Delhi on Thursday.

Addressing the media after the closed-door meeting, Rahul Gandhi said, “We have decided to put past behind. The idea is to defeat the BJP.”

“We have a past. Both of us agreed that we are not going to talk about our past and talk about our future,” he told reporters while addressing reporters jointly with Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu.

Rahul Gandhi further said, “We had a very good meeting, the gist was that we have to defend democracy and future of the country. So we are coming together to work, all opposition forces must unite.”

While Naidu said, “We are coming together, to save the nation. We have to forget the past, now it is a democratic compulsion to unite. All opposition needs to be one.”

Earlier, in the day, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference patriarch Farooq Abdullah. While addressing the media, the three senior leaders expressed their dissatisfaction with the current state of country’s affairs and stressed upon the need for non-BJP parties to come together ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

Chandrababu Naidu said, “Currently, the country is passing through so many problems. We have to protect the future generations.” He further added that the meetings will be organised between the anti-BJP parties in the coming days where a future course of action will be decided.

In the meantime, Farooq Abdullah launched a scathing attack on BJP and said that God doesn’t vote for political parties in an alleged reference to the ongoing Ram Mandir dispute in Ayodhya.

Earlier, on October 27, Naidu had met with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Dalit leader Mayawati and veteran leader Sharad Yadav.

Notably, Naidu’s TDP was earlier in coalition with BJP in centre and Andhra Pradesh. Naidu’s list of grouse against the Centre has grown since he left the NDA soon after the union budget, disappointed with the meagre provisions made for his state.

Over the last months, he has accused the Centre of reneging on the promise to financially support the Andhra Pradesh’s new capital Amaravati, refusing the requisite financial assistance during cyclone Titli and conducting tax raids at his home as part of a “political vendetta”.

Also Read: Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu to meet Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders