Mumbai, Feb. 20 (IANS): Amid a bonhomie of hugs and handshakes, Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Telangana - Uddhav Thackeray and K. Chandrashekar Rao, respectively - said, "winds of change are blowing in the country" and now its "time for a change" (Parivartan), here on Sunday.
The Thackeray-Rao duo also declared that the foundations of a united third front of Opposition parties in the country to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party, would be laid from Maharashtra.
They expressed serious concerns over the future of the country and what direction it is going, given the "politics of vendetta" pursued by the BJP.
Rao also met the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar and "discussed politics and the state of the nation", while Congress President Nana Patole expressed full support to the visiting CM's endeavours to forge Opposition unity.
The two leaders said this "is just the beginning and now talks will be held with other national-regional parties" with a strong developmental agenda to strengthen the country.
Expressing concerns over the political environment in the country, Thackeray said that "politics of vengeance of the lowest levels has been let loose".
"Our Hindutva is not about taking revenge on others. Today, the whole focus is on defaming others while resorting to lies and claims of achievement and alleging others have done nothing," Thackeray said strongly.
Rao invited Thackeray to visit Hyderabad for another round of meeting and said his next conclave with the state leaders would be held in Baramati (the Pawars' hometown in Pune) soon, if needed.
"Our discussions were based on principles and the problems confronting the country. It's our responsibility to show the way to the countrymen, solve the problems of farmers and commoners," said Pawar.
"Pawar Saheb is our senior leader. He supported our agitation (for Telangana state) right from 1969 till its birth (2014). We feel the country is not being run properly, development is stalled and the expected progress has not taken place," the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) President said.
They exhorted that now is the time to take all parties together and forge ahead unitedly with a new agenda to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people of the country.
Welcoming Rao's political pilgrimage to Maharashtra, Patole pointed out how the TRS was once an ally of the BJP and helped it immensely, but later the BJP started destroying the TRS.
Both Thackeray and Rao said that a good start has been made today with the objective of 'parivartan' (change) to protect India's democracy, and said "you will see very good results of these meetings soon".