Mr Rao predicted that the BJP will win “one or none” Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.
Making a shocking declare, Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief and former Telangana chief minister Okay Chandrashekar Rao has stated a bunch of regional events may kind a authorities and the NDA or INDIA alliances could find yourself having to assist them, as a substitute of the opposite means round.
In an expansive interview with NDTV on Friday, Mr Rao, or KCR as he’s popularly recognized, additionally spoke about how his social gathering is way from completed and can get seats within the double digits out of the 17 constituencies in Telangana. He additionally answered questions in regards to the BJP’s prospects, the “failure” of the Congress authorities within the state, and the arrest of his daughter Okay Kavitha within the alleged Delhi liquor coverage rip-off.
Addressing a rally for sitting MP and one of many candidates within the Lok Sabha polls, Nama Nageswara Rao, the BRS chief had stated Mr Nageswara Rao may find yourself being a Union minister.
When he was requested about this and whether or not he would assist the NDA or the INDIA bloc, KCR stated, “I’ll inform you a stunning factor which you will not consider. This time, one thing new goes to occur within the nation. All of the regional events are very sturdy now. They’ll emerge as a power. It is not the regional events supporting NDA or INDIA. It is nothing like that. Both of them must assist the regional events’ group. Will probably be a reverse factor. You will notice it.”
Mr Rao’s social gathering had received 9 out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana in 2019 and he was the chief minister of the state for practically a decade since its formation in 2014. However, for the reason that Congress’ large victory within the Meeting elections final yr – it received 64 of the state’s 119 seats, securing a majority by itself – there was speak of the BRS’ star being on the wane, which has been strengthened by a number of leaders deserting the social gathering.
To a poser on this, Mr Rao stated the Congress has not fulfilled the guarantees it had made within the six months it has been in energy and individuals are offended with the Revanth Reddy authorities.
“The one promise they’ve delivered is free bus (tickets) for the girl. Even that has turn into a giant joke. Girls are combating within the buses and auto drivers are (protesting) on the roads. That is the rationale individuals are very offended. The farming neighborhood, which acquired loads of confidence throughout my regime, can be very offended. And I feel the reflection will probably be seen within the Lok Sabha elections,” he stated, including that his social gathering will get seats within the double digits, going as much as 12.
On whether or not he thought folks defeated his authorities as a result of they had been offended with him and believed the events who stated he was inaccessible, Mr Rao replied within the detrimental and stated that individuals had acquired secure provide of energy, consuming water and water for irrigation underneath his authorities and had been “tempted” by the Congress’ guarantees.
“They made very, very enticing guarantees. The (vote share) margin between the Congress and BRS was 1.8%. We received about one-third seats of the state Meeting, which isn’t a small factor. It was not a rout… It was a small factor the place the folks, out of temptation and since they believed that Congress could ship greater than KCR… we had been defeated. Now everybody has realised the Congress has did not ship and has cheated them,” he claimed.
‘Sunflowers’ In Politics
Many candidates from the BJP and the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls had been with the BRS earlier, and Mr Rao had a quip reserved for them: “Solely a handful of individuals went out of the social gathering… In politics, it’s common that every time energy shifts, there are a sure variety of sunflowers in every social gathering… they are going to flip in the direction of the solar and go away the social gathering.”
The BJP had received 4 seats in Telangana within the 2019 common elections and the social gathering has claimed that it’ll enter the double digits within the state this time. When he was requested to touch upon this, Mr Rao stated, “The BJP is operating a Goebbels marketing campaign. The BJP will get just one or none in Telangana in these Lok Sabha elections.”
The previous chief minister asserted that the BJP, which had received solely 29 seats out of 130 (together with Puducherry) in south India in 2019, wouldn’t win greater than 10 this time, and that the NDA could be diminished to only 226 seats nationally.
“The Prime Minister has misplaced his charisma. Folks have realised it. The worth of the Rupee has gone all the way down to its lowest degree and there’s a capital drain from India now. Farmers are offended, many others are offended,” he claimed.
Okay Kavitha Arrest
On the arrest of his daughter and BRS chief Okay Kavitha by the Enforcement Directorate within the Delhi liquor coverage rip-off on March 15, Mr Rao stated the BJP had finished that as a result of he had taken motion towards individuals who had been making an attempt to topple his authorities in Telangana.
Referring to a case filed towards BJP Nationwide Basic Secretary BL Santhosh for allegedly poaching BRS MLAs, he stated, “I used to be the primary chief Minister in India who vehemently opposed Mr Modi and plenty of of his insurance policies… I despatched my police forces to the central workplace of the BJP in Delhi to catch BL Santhosh. That angered the BJP. That is why they arrested Kavitha in a false case.”
“In the end, we consider within the judiciary. Right this moment, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal acquired bail, I feel my daughter can even get bail. The Delhi liquor coverage rip-off will not be a rip-off. Each state has a liquor coverage… not a single rupee was recovered… they’re taking part in a drama with my daughter and in addition Arvind Kejriwal,” he asserted.
Revanth Reddy In BJP?
Requested about his son and former minister KT Rama Rao’s assertion that Congress chief and Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy would swap to the BJP, KCR stated this was evident in how he had referred to as Prime Minister Narendra Modi his large brother at an occasion within the state.
“He had stated we want your (PM Modi’s) assist going ahead as properly. What does it imply? He’s accepting that Rahul Gandhi is not going to turn into Prime Minister. Revanth Reddy is in hassle, he’s going through the (2015) vote-for-note case and I feel that’s coming to an finish in June or July. Even folks from the Congress are pondering he could bounce to the BJP,” he stated.
Mr Rao denied allegations of involvement within the phone-tapping scandal that has rocked the state and stated it was fully within the police’s area. He additionally referred to as the allegations of corruption within the Kaleshwaram carry irrigation challenge “mindless” and termed it a “marvel”.
On the PM saying that reservation to Muslims based mostly on faith will not be allowed underneath the Structure, Mr Rao stated, “Whether or not the Structure permits it’s an instructional topic. However so far as I am involved, whether or not it’s a Muslim or Hindu or no matter, individuals who didn’t get their share, people who find themselves nonetheless poor, who deserve reservation, should get reservation. It is not a good factor on the a part of the Authorities of India… and the Prime Minister speaking about it.. it appears very foolish. It is not appropriate.”