Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Sunday made a big prediction regarding the fortunes of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Reddy said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP will not cross 220 seats in the country. The CM noted that the BJP would not get more than 20 seats in South India in the polls.
"The Modi-led BJP will not cross 220 seats. It's a simple calculation. The southern states, including Lakshadweep, have 131 seats. Of these, the BJP might get up to 13-14 seats in Karnataka, 3-4 seats in Telangana and perhaps one in Andhra. In all other states, it will draw a blank. So, BJP might not win more than 20 in the southern states," Revanth Reddy said.
He further claimed that the saffron party has not given much to South India in terms of power, except appointing Prahlad Joshi and Kishan Reddy as cabinet ministers. He also claimed that South Indian MPs have not been given any significant portfolios.
Reddy further alleged PM Modi has failed to fulfil assurances given to Telangana in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, including setting up a steel plant, a railway coach factory and others in the state. Citing Modi's comments in Parliament, the Telangana CM further claimed that the Prime Minister insulted the southern state.
Reddy said that PM Modi insulted Telangana in the past with comments on the state's formation in the Parliament. The Prime Minister had said the then Congress-led UPA government closed the doors of Parliament when the bill for Telangana's formation was passed and that "mother (Andhra Pradesh)" was "killed" to give birth to the "child," as per Reddy.
He added that the Congress fulfilled the promise of Telangana's formation though it was decimated in Andhra Pradesh (post bifurcation). Furthermore, he assured the BJP would not return to power at the Centre after the polls.
"Modi and BJP will not come back to power in 2024. BJP under Vajpayee ruled twice, UPA ruled twice. Now, BJP and NDA have ruled twice. It's natural justice that will prevail if one thinks they are bigger than the system," he said.