Telangana CM meets DMK's Stalin in TN

Chennai: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday met DMK leader M.K. Stalin here and discussed state autonomy, finance and the current political situation, the two leaders said.

Stalin told the media that KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, came to his home after calling on DMK President M. Karunanidhi at his residence and enquiring about his health.

Since the election to the Lok Sabha is a year away, Stalin said an electoral alliance would be announced soon.

KCR, who is trying to forge a Federal Front against the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, said there will soon be a Front but there was no urgency in forming it.

According to the two leaders, the discussion involved issues like saving India's secularism, securing more rights and funds for the states, the autocratic nature of the Central government, and bringing education to the state list of the Constitution from the concurrent list.

Stalin said KCR was in talks with other political parties and he would himself talk about these issues with other like-minded parties in Tamil Nadu and also at different levels within the DMK.

A decision would also be taken on holding a meeting on autonomy for the states, said Stalin, adding that the two leaders decided to have more such discussions.

KCR, the founder of Telangana's ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi, told reporters that after seven decades of dictatorial rule, India needs truthful federalism and it should continue to remain a secular country and their journey would be towards that.