HYDERABAD: TRS working president K T Rama Rao on Saturday exuded confidence that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi would win at least 16 Lok Sabha seats in the general elections and play a crucial role in the formation of the next government at the Centre. During a meet-the-press programme here on Saturday, Rama Rao predicted, “The BJP will not win more than 150 to 160 Lok Sabha seats and the Congress will win only 80 to 90 seats. In such a scenario, the Congress and the BJP, even if they come together, will not form the next government at the Centre.”
The remaining seats will be with regional parties, so the TRS will play a key role in the formation of the next government at the Centre.”To a question on how winning two more seats (the TRS currently has 14 seats in the Lower House) would create a difference, Rama Rao replied, “The BJP has sufficient numbers now. The next time, it won’t. It will be the TRS that commands the Centre.”.
“We should not think that coalition governments can’t be stable. I wish for a coalition government to come to power in Andhra Pradesh too,” the TRS leader said. In a measured riposte to questions on when the TRS would debut in Andhra politics as it has been hinting over the last few months, Rama Rao said, “We will come to a consensus at an appropriate time.”
Dismissing talks that the TRS would see a formidable rival in TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Rama Rao called Naidu a “gully leader”. He quickly added that the pink party had no enemies in AP. “We have no enmity with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Pawan Kalyan or Naidu. They are political opponents, not foes,” he said.
To a pointed question on if he became TRS working president by virtue of being TRS supremo KCR’s son, Rama Rao said, “I have proven myself in the past. I led the TRS in GHMC and in the recent Assembly elections. I will prove myself in future too.” When asked why he was elevated when there were so many seniors in the party, Rama Rao answered, “Rahul Gandhi should not have become AICC president, if seniority is the only criterion.”
When asked if he would become chief minister in the event of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao moving to national politics, Rama Rao said, “All TRS workers, including myself, wish that KCR should lead the state for next ten to 15 years. Telangana needs KCR’s leadership. KCR can lead the nation from Hyderabad.”
Commenting on the media’s role in a democracy, KTR said the media should not just publish anything in the name of the freedom of the press. “Even if I use bad words while speaking about Rahul Gandhi, the media should not publish it and should maintain its decorum,” he said. Asked about non-Telangana newspapers in the State, KTR said that after four years of the formation of the State, the local and non-local issue should not come for discussion. He, however, said the government would support the media houses which were Telangana-centric. He added that a few papers tried to “thrust Naidu upon the people of Telangana”.