Former Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal forecast that the Telugu Desam-Bharatiya Janata Party combine would form the government in Seemandhra and added that the TRS would come to power in Telangana.
He also said the National Democratic Alliance would bag between 320 and 330 seats, while the United Progressive Alliance end up with 70-80 seats only at the Centre. While the BJP alone would get between 270 and 280 seats, the Congress would be content with 60-70 seats.
At a press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Rajagopal reeled out the results of a survey conducted by RG’s Flash Team.
In Seemandhra, he said the TDP would get 19 to 22 Lok Sabha and 115 to 125 Assembly seats, while the YSR Congress Party’s tally would be three to six LS and 45 to 55 Assembly seats.
In Telangana the TRS would bag eight to 10 Lok Sabha and 50 to 60 Assembly seats. He said the Congress would win three to five Lok Sabha and 30 to 40 Assembly seats, while the TDP-BJP (three to four LS and 18 to 22 Assembly) and MIM (one LS and seven to nine Assembly) seats.
Asked about the timing of his press conference, Mr. Rajagopal pointed out that his election analysis and ‘predictions’ had always come true. “Several people have been calling me about my forecast,” he said. The Congress, he said, was forced to face the brunt of people’s anger over bifurcation and admitted that polarisation of votes this time round was huge.
Asked if RG’s Flash Team meant Rajagopal, he said it could mean Rahul Gandhi too. In September last he said he had submitted a similar report of what the polls would throw up to the Congress high command. He recalled saying that the Congress would get 80 Lok Sabha seats and that the number would come down if it did not give up the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Mr. Rajagopal called it as his last political press conference and said he was bidding adieu to politics. “I have been a politician for 10 years and am grateful to people for the patronage,” he said.
