Hyderabad: President of the Bharatiya Rashtriya Samithi (BRS), K. Chandrasekhar Rao, articulated on Monday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unlikely to surpass 200 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, emphasizing the consequential role regional parties will assume.
During an interview with PTI, President Rao conveyed that daily intelligence suggests the BJP will fall short of a clear majority.
“It is evident they will not exceed 200 seats. Consequently, regional parties will undoubtedly wield significant influence in the electoral outcome,” Rao remarked.
He dismissed the BJP’s “400 paar” slogan as baseless, asserting the challenge for them even to reach 200 seats.
Rao, commonly known as KCR, predicted minimal electoral success for the BJP in southern states, estimating they may secure merely five to ten seats.
Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s purported claim of expecting 200 seats from the initial phases, Rao disparaged the BJP’s tendency for exaggeration, likening it to propaganda tactics.
Highlighting the BJP’s dismal performance in Telangana’s 2023 assembly polls, where they forfeited deposits in 64 constituencies, Rao underscored the electorate’s disfavor.
Addressing potential scenarios of a hung verdict, Rao posited that either the BJP or the Congress would need to seek support from regional parties for government formation.
In discussing the necessity of selecting a Prime Ministerial candidate, Rao emphasized the importance of experience and leadership qualities.
He questioned the substantive achievements of both the Congress and the BJP in the 75 years since Independence, suggesting a reevaluation of their contributions.
