‘South se saaf, north se half': Pilot predicts BJP’s rout in LS polls

Taking a swipe that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday claimed that the saffron party will be wiped out in the south and reduced to half of its current strength in north India in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The saffron party had realised after the first phase of the elections that it was "on the backfoot," he said, talking to reporters at the Swami Vivekananda Airport Raipur.

"Someone has said, 'south se saaf, north se half'. It means the BJP will get half of the seats it currently has in the north, while it will fail to open its account in the south and east. It will shrink," the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said.

People want change

Pilot, who is his party's in-charge for Chhattisgarh, also said he wanted to congratulate the people of Bastar Lok Sabha constituency in the state for exercising their franchise in large numbers in the first phase despite several challenges. "Reports coming from there are very positive, and I believe we will achieve success," he added.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will address rallies in Rajnandgaon and Kanker Lok Sabha constituencies in the state on Sunday, he informed.

The two seats are among three parliamentary constituencies in the state which will go to polls in the second phase on April 26.

INDIA bloc a better option

"Though the turnout in the first phase was low, the reports we have been receiving are that people are looking for a change. This election is for change," Pilot said.

After assessing the BJP's performance in the last 10 years, people have realised that they need a better option, which is the Congress and opposition's INDIA bloc, he said.

Pilot also expressed confidence that his party would win most of the seats in Rajasthan where polling was held in the first phase.

(With agency inputs)