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 Ok Chandrashekar Rao has mentioned a gaggle of regional events may kind a authorities and the NDA or INDIA alliances could find yourself having to help them, as an alternative of the opposite method 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 Ok 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 mentioned Mr Nageswara Rao may find yourself being a Union minister.
When he was requested about this and whether or not he would help the NDA or the INDIA bloc, KCR mentioned, “I’ll let you know a shocking factor which you will not imagine. 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 isn’t the regional events supporting NDA or INDIA. It is nothing like that. Both of them should help the regional events’ group. Will probably be a reverse factor. You will notice it.”
Mr Rao’s social gathering had gained 9 out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana in 2019 and he was the chief minister of the state for almost a decade since its formation in 2014. However, because the Congress’ huge victory within the Meeting elections final 12 months – it gained 64 of the state’s 119 seats, securing a majority by itself – there was discuss of the BRS’ star being on the wane, which has been bolstered by a number of leaders deserting the social gathering.
To a poser on this, Mr Rao mentioned the Congress has not fulfilled the guarantees it had made within the six months it has been in energy and individuals are indignant with the Revanth Reddy authorities.
“The one promise they’ve delivered is free bus (tickets) for the lady. Even that has turn into an enormous joke. Ladies are combating within the buses and auto drivers are (protesting) on the roads. That is the explanation individuals are very indignant. The farming group, which bought lots of confidence throughout my regime, can be very indignant. And I feel the reflection can be seen within the Lok Sabha elections,” he mentioned, 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 have been indignant with him and believed the events who mentioned he was inaccessible, Mr Rao replied within the unfavourable and mentioned that individuals had bought secure provide of energy, ingesting water and water for irrigation beneath his authorities and had been “tempted” by the Congress’ guarantees.
“They made very, very engaging guarantees. The (vote share) margin between the Congress and BRS was 1.8%. We gained 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 have 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 have 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 at any time when energy shifts, there are a sure variety of sunflowers in every social gathering… they are going to flip in direction of the solar and go away the social gathering.”
The BJP had gained 4 seats in Telangana within the 2019 common elections and the social gathering has claimed that it’s going to enter the double digits within the state this time. When he was requested to touch upon this, Mr Rao mentioned, “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 gained 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 decreased to simply 226 seats nationally.
“The Prime Minister has misplaced his charisma. Folks have realised it. The worth of the Rupee has gone right down to its lowest degree and there’s a capital drain from India now. Farmers are indignant, many others are indignant,” he claimed.
Ok Kavitha Arrest
On the arrest of his daughter and BRS chief Ok Kavitha by the Enforcement Directorate within the Delhi liquor coverage rip-off on March 15, Mr Rao mentioned the BJP had carried out that as a result of he had taken motion in opposition to individuals who have been attempting to topple his authorities in Telangana.
Referring to a case filed in opposition to BJP Nationwide Common Secretary BL Santhosh for allegedly poaching BRS MLAs, he mentioned, “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.”
“Finally, we imagine within the judiciary. Immediately, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal bought bail, I feel my daughter can even get bail. The Delhi liquor coverage rip-off just isn’t a rip-off. Each state has a liquor coverage… not a single rupee was recovered… they’re enjoying a drama with my daughter and likewise 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 change to the BJP, KCR mentioned this was evident in how he had known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi his huge brother at an occasion within the state.
“He had mentioned we want your (PM Modi’s) help going ahead as nicely. 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 leap to the BJP,” he mentioned.
Mr Rao denied allegations of involvement within the phone-tapping scandal that has rocked the state and mentioned it was utterly within the police’s area. He additionally known as the allegations of corruption within the Kaleshwaram elevate irrigation undertaking “mindless” and termed it a “marvel”.
On the PM saying that reservation to Muslims based mostly on faith just isn’t allowed beneath the Structure, Mr Rao mentioned, “Whether or not the Structure permits it’s an educational 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 isn’t a good factor on the a part of the Authorities of India… and the Prime Minister speaking about it.. it seems very foolish. It isn’t appropriate.”
