india

Updated: Dec 15, 2018 19:08 IST

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is aiming to win 16 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2019 general elections and play a crucial role in the formation of the next government at the Centre, newly-appointed working president KT Rama Rao said on Saturday.

Speaking to media after his elevation, KTR, as the son of party chief and Telangana chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is popularly called, predicted that neither the Bharatiya Janata Party nor the Congress would be able to form the government at the Centre in 2019.

“After watching the outcome of the recent assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, it is evident that the BJP would not be able win more than 150 Lok Sabha seats, while the Congress would not be able to increase its tally to more than 100 seats,” he said.

Claiming that regional parties would be calling the shots after the general elections, he said the TRS with its 16 seats would play a decisive role. “Our party president K Chandrasekhar Rao has already started talking to like-minded regional parties and we shall soon come out with an action plan to form a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front which will win power at the Centre,” he said.

He dismissed the talk that the proposal federal front would be unstable and might not last long. “When TRS was founded in 2001, too, there was such a negative talk that it would not survive for long, but it not only sustained so long, but also captured power in the state twice. For that matter, after 1989, it has always been a minority or a coalition government at the Centre. Even the present NDA government comprises various parties,” he said.

On the attempts being made by Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu to build a non-BJP front at the national level, KTR alleged Naidu’s attempt was only to save his own seat in Andhra Pradesh rather than in the interest of the nation. “By projecting the BJP as a villain, he is only trying to cover up his inefficiency in ruling his state,” he said.

He declined a direct answer when asked the TDP would also be part of the proposed federal front, saying that there “are other strong regional parties in Andhra Pradesh which are ready to work with us”. He also claimed that the TDP would become insignificant and irrelevant after 2019 general elections.

KTR also said the TRS would definitely campaign in the assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh. “How we shall interfere in Andhra elections will be left to your imagination. But we are going to change the political scenario in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

He, however, hastened to add that the TRS participation in Andhra elections will be part of its overall strategy to build a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front. “Our effort would be to ensure that a strong regional party comes to power in Andhra Pradesh so that it could play a strong role at the national level,” he said.

KTR refused to be drawn into the speculations over the possibility of his elevation to the post of chief minister after 2019 elections. “There is no vacancy for the post of chief minister at present. Not only I, but all my party MLAs, leaders and cadre strongly desire that KCR will continue as the chief minister for another 15 years. I don’t see why he cannot pursue politics at the national level, while continuing as the chief minister,” he said.

He asserted that his party, which had got a massive mandate from the people would strive to fulfill all the promises made before the elections. “We shall make all out efforts to make Telangana as a role model state in the country and the TRS as the strongest party in the country,” he said.