Hyderabad: After 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda from Karnataka may emerge as strong contenders for the Prime Minister’s post from South if the BJP and the Congress fail to get good number of seats. All this time, Congress party has said that the AICC president Rahul Gandhi was its prime ministerial candidate. But in the latest political situation, the Congress has decided to sacrifice claiming the PM post to defeat the BJP at the Centre. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is playing a key role in the formation of the Federal Front with all regional parties in an aim to defeat the BJP, also said that she is not interested in the PM’s post.

Sources in the TD and the TRS said that after the ensuing Assembly elections, both Mr Naidu and Mr Rao — under pressure from their parties — want to make their sons as Chief Ministers of the respective states. According to grapevine in political circles, both BJP and Congress may not get majority seats and regional parties will play key roles in all the states. In TS, there are 17 Lok Sabha seats and in AP, there are 25 Lok Sabha seats. In the previous elections TRS won 11 seats and TD won 16 seats (15 in AP and 1 in TS).

In the previous elections TRS won 11 seats and TD won 16 seats (15 in AP and 1 in TS). Both parties are hoping that they can retain the same number and perhaps also get more. In the past the CM, Mr Naidu did not show interest in the PM’s post as it would be difficult to continue for five years as PM, specially if one had to depend on other parties’ support. He also expressed the opinion that if he took the PM’s post but lost his position after one year, he would be known as ‘former PM’ and then he would not be able to hold the CM’s post again thereby marking the end to his political career.

But now the situation was different and this time if the situation allows, Mr Naidu may not refuse to take the PM post, said a senior TD leader. In the southern States, regional parties are dominating national parties like BJP and Congress. At present there are speculations that Mr Rao is soft towards BJP, but after 2019 elections he may change his stance, depending on the outcome of Lok Sabha results. If the PM post is offered to the south, the Telangana CM Mr. KCR will also become a strong contender, said a senior TRS leader.