Chennai: DMK chief MK Stalin will not be meeting Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on May 13 in Chennai. Stalin has declined appointment citing by-election campaigning in Tamil Nadu. However, the real reason is different.

Also read: KCR to meet Pinarayi Vijayan on May 6; BJP calls it ‘dubious’

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president KCR sought an appointment from Stalin but was turned down. Stalin is apparently busy campaigning for the May 19 by-polls in four Tamil Nadu Assembly constituencies and wouldn't be in Chennai on May 13.

However, DMK's A Saravanan told MyNation, "The meeting will be about non-BJP and non-Congress (alliance) at the Centre. But we are already in an alliance with the Congress."

Saravanan said it was a conscious decision to tell TRS that Stalin would be busy rather than saying they were not interested in the meeting, altogether.

MyNation spoke to Abid Rasool Khan of the TRS. He said they did reach out to the DMK but couldn’t get an appointment due to the by-elections.

“Meetings will definitely take place. If not now, then maybe later. But we do believe that MK Stalin is busy with the by-polls which is why we are unable to meet him at the moment,” said Khan.

When asked about what he thinks of the DMK’s reason, Khan said, “The Congress will not be able to garner enough support, then the allies will definitely look for ways to be a part of the government. They can then join us.”

Khan further added that the TRS would leave its doors open for the DMK to change its mind and join them in the Federal Front.

KCR had met Stalin's father M Karunanidhi in 2018 and sought the DMK's support for the Federal Front. However, despite this, the DMK continued its alliance with the Congress for the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

DMK's allies the Congress and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) have welcomed the snub.

KCR had met Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on May 6.  The two leaders discussed the latest political developments in the wake of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.