INDIA allies differ on BJP score: Kejri predicts 220, Rahul 150, Yadav 143
Neeraj Mohan
New Delhi, May 16
INDIA bloc leaders have presented a range of figures concerning the number of seats the BJP is expected to secure in the Lok Sabha elections, with estimates spanning from 143 to 220. This lack of consensus among the leaders indicates varying perspectives within the bloc regarding the poll outcome.
POLL SNIPPETS
TDP leader placed under house arrest
Amaravati: Cops placed TDP politburo member Nakka Anand Babu under house arrest in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur on Thursday to stop him from visiting the Macherla constituency, which was hit by post-poll violence. The TDP has constituted a fact-finding committee to visit violence-hit areas. Nakka Anand Babu, a former minister, was one of the five members of the committee. The TDP panel was scheduled to visit Macherla on Thursday.
Seizures cross Rs 1,100 cr in Rajasthan
Jaipur: The Chief Electoral Officer of Rajasthan, Praveen Gupta, said on Thursday that in view of the Lok Sabha elections in the state, various enforcement agencies had seized drugs, liquor, precious metals, freebies, and cash worth Rs 1,106 crore since March 1. The seizures include drugs worth Rs 202.25 crore, liquor worth more than Rs 47 crore, gold and silver valued at Rs 70 crore, and cash amounting to Rs 42 crore, Gupta said.
QR code system unveiled in Thane
Thane: The authorities in Thane have unveiled a map-based QR code system for three constituencies to facilitate voters in finding the route of their polling booth, an official said on Thursday. There are three Lok Sabha seats in Thane district, namely Thane, Kalyan and Bhiwandi. District Election Officer Ashok Shingare said, “Voters can simply scan the QR code, select the relevant assembly constituency and choose their specific polling station.”
A day after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge predicted that the BJP would not win more than 200 seats, Delhi CM and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thrusday claimed the BJP would secure fewer than 220 seats.
Interestingly, sitting next to Kejriwal during the same press conference in Lucknow, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the BJP would get only 143 seats. Akhilesh said the BJP’s slogan of “400 paar” implied their ambition to secure the remaining 143 seats out of the total 543 in the elections. On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said on several occasion that the BJP will get around 150 seats.
Citing reasons behind his prediction, Kejriwal said there was a decline in BJP’s support base across various states, including Haryana, Delhi and Punjab. Kejriwal said the INDIA bloc was poised to take charge after June 4.
On the contrary, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive term under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership, has set an ambitious target of securing 400 seats in these elections. Of these, the BJP aims to clinch 370 seats alone.
Kejriwal also made another assumption that PM Modi, on attaining the age of 75 years in September next year, would appoint Amit Shah as the next PM of the country if the BJP was voted to power again.
“PM Modi will turn 75 on September 17, 2025. He will appoint Amit Shah his successor and make him PM on that date. Although he has not said that he will not retire at the age of 75 years, he has made this rule and I hope he will follow that,” Kejriwal said. In anticipation of Amit Shah assuming the PM’s office, Yogi Adityanath would also be ousted from his position as UP CM, he said.
Kejriwal did not respond to questions about allegations of assault levelled by Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal against his aide Bibhav Kumar. Even Akhilesh Yadav intervened saying there were other important issues.
As reporters insisted on a reply from Kejriwal, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, “AAP is our family and the party has already made its position clear. There is no need to play political games.”
