Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s initiative to form a Third Front of regional parties has spurred a flurry of activity.

Amid calls from various regional parties extending support to his plans the 64-year-old Rao, popularly known as KCR, is drawing up an ambitious plan to hold consultations with prominent people from all walks of life at the national level to prepare a “national agenda”, sources said.

According to the sources, in the Chief Minister’s office, the comprehensive agenda comprising of the burning issues — especially farmers and youths — will form the basis of various regional parties coming together.

The Chief Minister has asked his advisers and aides to prepare a list of such prominent people including senior retired IAS, IPS and IFS officers with rich experience at the national level.

KCR was planning to have meeting with some of the retired bureaucrats to elicit their views on the major problems and issue facing the country as a whole.

These retired officials will also include those who played a major role in the administration of the National Front and United Front governments in the past.

Subsequently he also plans to have similar meetings with the representatives of farmers’ organisations and the experts from the field of agriculture, trade unions, trade and industry organisations like Ficci and CII to understand the problems of these sections in various states.

KCR was of the opinion that if Telangana could do so much to alleviate the sufferings of the farmers and take effective measures including the waiving of loans and 24/7 free electricity supply and investment incentives, the same could be replicated at the national level.

KCR also plans to meet senior journalists, heads of national TV channels, newspaper editors and other media personalities to get their feedback.

One more session was also being planned with retired finance and revenue secretaries and other officials of those departments who worked in the union government and various state governments to take their perspectives on the economic problems of the country. Consultations will also be held with the representatives of the organisations and unions of retired employees.

On the issues of defence an emerging will be held with the retired officials of three services of armed forces.

Sources said that preparations have already started to organise the series of meetings not only in Hyderabad but also in different state capitals Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkatta and Mumbai.

KCR has appointed coordinators for the meetings, sources said.

Meanwhile more regional leaders have come out to support KCR’s idea of Third Front. Chhattisgarh Janata Congress president Ajit Jogi called KCR to extend his support on Monday. He said that if such a Front was formed, his party will be part of it and he will also make efforts by contacting other regional leaders. He lauded the leadership qualities and skills of KCR during the movement for separate Telangana state and his good governance after the formation of the state.

Jana Sena party founder and film star pawan Kalyan also welcome idea of Third Front and said that he will support it. He was all praise for KCR’s support to Special Category Status and said that this shows that all Telugu people will be united for the cause of the two Telugu states. “There’s need for a third alternative and we will support the Third Front if KCR comes forward”, he said.