After Chandrababu Naidu, it’s Sharad Pawar working the phones now

NEW DELHI: On the eve of counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls, opposition leaders spent the day working the phones to reach out to leaders of various parties to firm up an anti-BJP front. After Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu’s rounds of talks with key leaders, NCP chief Sharad

Pawar

swung into action on Wednesday.


Like Naidu, Pawar too is playing the interlocutor between various parties, especially those which are otherwise opposed to each other, to try and convince them to join the team. Sources said Pawar has been in touch with YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy, TRS chief and Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and Odisha CM and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik. Pawar is learnt to have spoken to Patnaik and Rao for support in case the anti-BJP parties are close to the magic figure.

The NCP chief has been in touch with Naidu, who has held talks with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, BSP chief Mayawati and SP leader Akhilesh Singh.