Keeping Congress out of federal front 'not desirable': Veerappa Moily

Hyderabad, Mar 22: Former union minister Veerappa Moily has said there cannot be a federal front without the Congress being a part of it, even as he indicated that leadership of such an alliance is a matter of negotiation.

Moily alleged that a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front, being promoted by Telangana Chief Minister and TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, is aimed at dividing the anti-BJP parties. Moily said Rao's move for a federal front is "good and welcome" but all parties should be taken into confidence.

K Chandrashekhar Rao had recently said a non-Congress and non-BJP front should be formed in the country, and had called for a "qualitative change" in politics while announcing that he was ready to take on the mantle of leading a political front.

"There cannot be a federal front without the Congress. Bracketing the Congress along with the BJP will not help the purpose, nor help the national objective (to dethrone the BJP)," Moily told PTI.

Asked if such a federal front has to be led by the Congress, he said, "Leading and other things is matter of negotiation.. that is a different matter."

"But, keeping Congress out of the Federal front may not be desirable. It will also not work, it will not be effective. This is intended only at dividing the opposition," the former Karnataka chief minister said.

"Secular forces" would have to work out "minimum programme" and come under the federal front, only then it will be successful, Moily said. Referring to the recent Congress plenary, he said party president Rahul Gandhi has gone on record that he will not sideline elders in the party.

"But, at the same time, youth will get more prominence. That's a welcome move. Because change means, you cannot maintain the status-quo and build the party. Congress needs a thorough change with youth force," Moily said.

PTI