In today's episode of 'The Countdown' with Prannoy Roy, the critical question of who will win Telangana this time is the big discussion. The Lok Sabha election is a major battle between the BJP and the Congress - but are these national parties relevant in Telangana? The Countdown team traveled the length and breadth of the state speaking to rural and urban voters. Telangana's Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, actor-turned politician Pawan Kalyan and the Congress's Komtireddy Venkat Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy join Prannoy Roy, Shekhar Gupta and Uma Sudhir for some interesting insights.
Here are the highlights of today's episode of 'The Countdown':
TRS landslide with 88 seats and 47% vote share in 2018 Assembly
Big win for TRS in 2019 municipal body elections with 60% seats
Tiny swing in favour can mean a TRS sweep in Telangana
Are state polls good predictors?
The power of regional parties in Lok Sabha 2019
Areas where BJP, Congress may dominate in Telangana
Leaders + Party - what really matters to voters?
A look at how caste factor plays out in Telangana
4 seats that almost always vote the overall winner
Freebies for Telangana voters: Will they work?
KCR on whether he aspires to be PM
"Becoming Prime Minister is not my motive. It's not my agenda too. It's not the Prime Ministership that matters."
KCR on power of regional parties
"Now, in our country, regional parties cannot be ruled out. Congress, BJP are more centripetal. People have realised this, which is why they are adopting regional parties."
"There was a fashion of regional parties supporting BJP or Congress. Now that time is gone. It has to be other way around. Why can't national parties support the regional parties?"
KCR on being asked if he plans to form a national party
"BJP and Congress have miserably failed in delivering to the nation. I personally feel there is a vacuum in the country, there is a need for a new alternative. That's why I was proposing to establish a national party if required, with like-minded parties. That will solve the whole problem."
"Unfortunately, we have been discussing things in the country, leader-centric, person-centric. But, it should be issues-centric."
"I think after this election, there will be a consensus among like-minded people. There is a discussion that there should be a non-Congress, non-BJP government."
KCR on how he thinks BJP will fare in Lok Sabha Elections 2019
"BJP won't get power on its own as it did in 2014. They are bound to lose seats in all the states where they gained last time. It won't be the same game. 2019 will be totally different from 2014."
"Things appear very clear to me that no single party will form the government in the country, results will be surprising. I foresee a situation where regional parties have to work together and gain a say in the post-poll scenario, so that the country will benefit. There will be a coalition government at the centre."
Congress Telangana chief Uttam Kumar Reddy on The CountdownQ: What is the loyalty of Congress people if they can go away like that with little threats and little bit of bribe? A: Bribe is not little bit. Money being offered is huge. A person can't think that he can see that kind of money in his lifetime.
Q: What kind of money are we talking about?A: Very big money. If I tell...you will be surprised at the amount.
Surprise us
But I can't tell.. one of my MLA.. same native place..Q: He's a rich man now?A: He's a rich man...
Q: What kind of money?A: I'll tell you... there was a contractor who became an MLA with the Congress...he said my bills were 2-3 crores.. I have no option. I'll go bankrupt if I don't switch. (A third person says 25 crore...25 is the minimum.)
"Huge money being offered": Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy on MLAs switching sides
"No single party will form the government... there will be a coalition government at the centre": K Chandrashekar Rao
"BJP and Congress have miserably failed. There is a need for a new alternative": K Chandrashekar Rao
Actor-turned politician Pawan Kalyan speaks to Prannoy Roy
Pawan Kalyan backs Rahul Gandhi
Pawan Kalyan on Jana Sena's alliance with Mayawati's BSP
Pawan Kalyan on freebies
KCR on Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy on party's poor show in state assembly elections
