Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) met his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s Varsha bungalow on Sunday. KCR, who is on a one-day visit to the western state, also met Thackeray’s cabinet ministers and leaders. Hindustan Times reported that popular actor Prakash Raj was present at the meeting.

The Telangana Chief Minister is also going to meet Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar at his residence in the evening before jetting back to Hyderabad.

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The Telangana chief minister’s visit to Maharashtra comes as part of his campaign to intensify anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposition ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

KCR has been at loggerheads with the saffron party, which started after his post Budget 2022 remarks wherein he slammed both the BJP and the Congress, saying India needs a new movement – breaking away from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the grand old party.

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He also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he dresses according to the poll-bound states.

Earlier, PM Modi visited Hyderabad, KCR’s absence from the event and also at the airport to receive the former, added fuel to the controversy.

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However, KCR’s office released a statement later, citing his fever and stressing that he is not binding to receive the PM.

Earlier, Thackeray had a conversation with KCR in which he “extended support” to the Telangana CM in his efforts to unite regional parties to lead a third front against the BJP-led central government, and invited him to Mumbai.

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“This is in line with what Uddhav ji has been saying in the overreach of the Centre. States have to come together to defend the federal structure of the country,” a senior Shiv Sena functionary had said.