“INTERVIEW | ‘Modi’s BJP is not likely to secure more than 220 seats,’ says the Chief Minister of Telangana.”

Describing the Lok Sabha election as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy asserted, “I anticipate Narendra Modi’s BJP won’t secure more than 220 seats.”

In an effort to mobilize the Telugu-speaking populace—approximately 2.8 million in Bengaluru and roughly 4 million across Karnataka—in favor of Congress candidates, Reddy remarked that voters typically don’t grant more than two terms to a leader. He cited the examples of former Prime Ministers Atal Behari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, both of whom served two terms, similar to PM Modi.

Censuring the BJP government for its alleged biased treatment towards South India, Reddy claimed that Gujarat receives the lion’s share of investments, leaving other states to contend with meager scraps. According to him, when Southern states receive direct investments, they face pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office to redirect their investments to Gujarat.

Reddy commented, “When people are content, they focus on religious sites and other matters, but when they are struggling, they prioritize food, employment, and survival. This is a global phenomenon.”

Regarding direct elections, he stated, “The RSS advocates for direct elections. They aim to frame it as a 20 percent minority versus 80 percent majority scenario, marginalizing minorities to garner support from the majority. They fuel North-South and Aryan-Dravidian divides.”

He argued that the Congress has consistently maintained regional equilibrium and proposed a strategy for balanced development between the North and South. “This is an unspoken rule in Congress. If the Prime Minister hails from the North, a Southern leader assumes the role of President, and significant portfolios are assigned to individuals from the South. However, this government has strayed from such practices; the BJP did not appoint a Southern leader as party president, and they even sidelined ministers like Venkaiah Naidu and Sadananda Gowda. The South is not a priority for the BJP,” he remarked.

Reddy noted that when Modi assumed office, the national debt stood at Rs 55 trillion. However, in the past decade, it has ballooned by Rs 113 trillion, reaching Rs 168 trillion. While previous administrations generated wealth for the nation, the Modi government has privatized such assets. Reddy pointed out that the only noteworthy monument erected during Modi’s tenure is the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

He also mentioned the symbiotic relationship between the BJP and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, highlighting how their strategic decisions benefit each other directly or indirectly.