In a huge setback to KCR’s plans to emerge as a key player in national politics, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee on Wednesday almost announced that she is going to spearhead the fight against Narendra Modi. Inter alia, she signaled that all other regional parties, including Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party and KCR of Telangana.

Mamta with over200 MLA seats, the third highest number of MP seats in Parliament and a significant number of Rajya Sabha seats is planning to take on Modi in Varanasi in the next election. She is also planning to campaign for Akhilesh Yadav. As of now, there is no invite to KCR or KTR to campaign in UP. This shows that Mamta Banerjee has more political weight than KCR at the national level.

Even the Tamil Nadu CM, whom KCR met recently, has categorically said that he has not discussed national politics and the third front with KCR. He said it was a mere courtesy call and nothing more. On the other hand, Stalin has written letters to 35 key leaders to join hands against the BJP at the Centre. Interestingly, KCR did not figure in the list of the leaders.

All these incidents show that KCR’s attempts to emerge as an important player has come to a naught. With just nine MP seats, he is not being taken seriously at the national level. Both Mamta and Stalin have clearly shown that they neither trust KCR nor have any role for him at the national level.