The feedback from opposition leaders on the feelers sent out by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on forming a third front post the Lok Sabha election has been clear – there cannot be an alliance without the Congress.

The TRS chief has been proposing a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front at the Centre and stayed away from all opposition meets over the last year and more, but he is growing receptive to the idea of gaining a “backdoor entry” into any such alliance if it forms.

According to sources, the apparent change in his stand has come just in time as the opposition parties are planning to hold a meeting on May 21, two days after polling ends and two days before the result is announced, to decide on a prime ministerial face.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu met Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning, asking him to call a meet of all opposition parties to fine-tune strategy on how to stake claim to power if they get the numbers, as well as decide on a leader.

The opposition parties have repeatedly said they would decide on the PM face after the election results, but that has not stopped various leaders, including Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati, from hinting at their ambitions for it.

KCR, who had recently met Kerala CM and Left leader Pinarayi Vijayan to further his third front plans, has still not committed to teaming up with the joint opposition and is keeping cards close to his chest.

He was hopeful that both the DMK and the JDS, both Congress allies, would join his federal front in a post-poll scenario, where regional parties would emerge as the key players, but was told by them that the grand old party has to feature in the plans.

Although MK Stalin had cancelled a scheduled meet with the Telangana CM for May 13, the DMK has told the TRS about its leanings and a similar message was sent across by Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy when he spoke to KCR two days ago.

Sources also revealed that KCR has asked the opposition to also take YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy on board the alliance, and he too, is not opposed to it but wants certain conditions met before making a decision.

However, it remains to be seen how his entry would play out considering his arch rival, Chandrababu Naidu, is a key figure in the joint opposition and one of the top contenders for the PM post, despite his repeated claims to the contrary.