Congress would get around 200 seats in the Lok Sabha elections: Veerappa Moily

Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said that the Congress would get around 200 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, emerging as the leading party among the opposition.

Addressig prespersons Moily said “Make state-by-state (poll) analysis and you will definitely come to conclusion that the NDA government will fall”, the former Union Minister said, adding a conglomeration of opposition parties would form the government.

“Among all members of the opposition, the Congress figure (tally of seats) would be the highest”, the former Karnataka chief minister said.

“Common enemy is (Narendra) Modi and NDA. That is why, they (regional parties) can’t join NDA; there shall be a combination of opposition parties who will definitely form the coalition (government),” Moily said.

On whether the Congress would position its President Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate, he said ultimately there should be unanimity among the opposition put together.

“Congress as a largest party in Parliament, particularly more so among the opposition, we definitely have the advantage of leading the opposition front,” Moily said.

When asked if some of the regional parties who are not on board with UPA would be “friends” post-poll, he said, “Correct. It’s always like that. There may be combined prior to elections, and combination, permutations after elections”.

“This has happened even in 2004. For example, UDF is fighting against LDF in Kerala. So, there cannot be prior (pre-poll) understanding between these two parties. Even then, we joined together in 2004 in forming the government,” he said.

Moily claimed that the majority of regional parties would join the opposition combination to defeat the NDA.