BRS president and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao
Credit: PTI File Photo
Hyderabad: BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said the BJP would not cross 200 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and asserted that the regional parties would then play a major role.
In an interview with PTI videos, he said information received by him everyday indicates that the saffron party would not get full majority.
"They are not going to cross 200 seats. That's where I am telling you, regional parties are going to play a major role...100 per cent, it is going to happen," Rao said.
The '400 paar' slogan of BJP is 'rubbish' and that crossing even 200 seats is turning out to be difficult, Rao, popularly known as KCR, said.
From the southern states, BJP would not get even five-10 seats, he added.
Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's reported comments that BJP expects 200 seats from the first two phases, the former CM said BJP 'spreads more propaganda than Goebbels.' He recalled that BJP lost deposit in 64 assembly seats in the 2023 assembly polls in Telangana.
Asked who BRS would support in the event of a hung verdict, he said either BJP or Congress have to support the regional parties in government formation.
When pointed to the need for picking a leader as Prime Minister, he said an experienced and good leader could be selected for the job.
What have Congress and BJP have achieved in 75 years of Independence? he asked.
To a query that BRS is neither associated with NDA nor the INDIA alliance in the Lok Sabha polls and why people should not vote for BJP or Congress, Rao said, 'there is nothing like INDIA alliance' as TMC leader Mamata Banerjee and others are out of the opposition bloc.
The regional parties are fighting against the BJP and they will emerge as a strong force, and Telangana should have its 'own people' to represent all issues the state was facing, he said.
Responding to a question about his ideal outcome in the present Lok Sabha elections, Rao said he had tried in the past to form an alternative front to the BJP and Congress.
Both Congress and BJP have been bad for the country and Modi proved to be worst, he claimed.
Why are we still a developing country after 75 years of Independence and the nation has not made progress the way it should have made despite being endowed with natural resources? he asked.
'But, the country reels under power cuts. No investor will come to India. Recently, Tesla came and ran away,' he said.
Reacting to the comments of BJP or Congress leaders that BRS is not in the contest in the Lok Sabha elections, he expressed confidence that BRS will win more than a dozen seats. The BJP may win a seat by chance.
People would choose BRS as they have realized that the Congress failed to address people's issues and concerns in the state since it came to power, he said.
Asked about the arrest of his daughter and MLC K Kavitha, Rao said it is a 'conspiracy hatched by Modi' and that there was no liquor scam.
"The arrest of my daughter is a big joke. It's a conspiracy by Mr Modi. Since three-four of us leaders are opposing him strongly in India, he has done it. It's not good for him. It will hit him in the coming days. There is nothing like liquor scam. It was the excise policy of the Delhi government. How can anybody say there is a scam? It's rubbish," he said.
It is a cock and bull story concocted by Modi, he claimed, asking has a rupee been recovered anywhere.
Rao said along with him, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren have been 'targetted'.
Rao, who suffered a fracture in December last year soon after his party's defeat in the Legislative Assembly polls, said he is 'perfectly fit now'.
He said only a few leaders have quit the BRS post the assembly election defeat which would not have a major impact on the party.
Regarding the recent 48-hour ban imposed on him by EC, he said the allegedly religious comments made by PM Modi and the abusive language used by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is not taken note of by the poll panel.
The context of the objectionable comments made by him was that he was reacting to some on the plight of weavers, he said.
"For that, they wanted to suppress my voice. They imposed a ban for 48 hours. But, it makes no difference. People will react more on that," he said.
It shows that Congress and BJP are worried over people's support to BRS after he started his 'bus yatra', he opined.
Asked about Congress allegations that the Constitution would be changed by BJP if voted to power, Rao said some Union ministers had made comments in this regard.
Describing BJP as a party of 'maniacs', he sought to know if any section of society benefited during PM Modi's rule.
Coming down heavily on the PM, he said Modi, when he was the Gujarat CM, used to ask why the value of rupee declined.
"As KCR, I am asking Mr Narendra Modi, why (value of) Indian rupee fell so badly. Rs 84 against dollar?"
Investors are leaving the country, imports increased and Modi had to apologize to farmers (on the farm laws issue), he said.
Accusing the Congress government of failing to fulfill its poll promises, he said the ruling party will face people's wrath in the Lok Sabha polls.