Prakash Ambedkar says Deve Gowda could be PM

In a significant political statement, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar said Janata Dal (Secular) president HD Deve Gowda could possibly emerge as a Prime ministerial candidate.

"Deve Gowda is the dark horse...wait till 23 May (the day of counting)," Ambedkar, the founder of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, a three-time MP, said.

According to him, both, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi do not stand chance to become the prime minister.

"My assessment is, BJP will be in the range of 148 to 200 seats, Congress will just cross 100," the veteran politician told DH on Thursday.

"So tell me, who else....he (Deve Gowda) had been the prime minister...he would be acceptable to all," he said.

Deve Gowda (85) had been the prime minister from 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997 heading a coalition government.

Ambedkar said that his Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) will win at least two of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. Asked on which side he would be after the elections, he said: "I will be in the anti-BJP side."

Analysing the political situation, he said Congress is not in a position to take on Modi.

"As far as the national scenario is concerned, BJP will lose 35 to 40 seats in Uttar Pradesh. They will lose even if the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party do not campaign in these seats...its people who would campaign. I am talking about the 35 seats where the Dalit-Muslim population is between 28 to 44 per cent," he said.

"In Chhatisgarh, BJP does not stand a chance. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, there is a tricky situation where both the chief ministers want to bring in their sons. The BJP will hold Gujarat. Bihar and Jharkhand have a fluctuating situation," he said.

When pointed out that JD(S) will not have a sizable number, he said: "If not Deve Gowda, who else? (TMC founder and West Bengal chief minister) Mamata Banerjee is capable, but she does not have anyone to fall back on. Same is with (BSP supremo) Mayawati, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav or for that matter BJD leader and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik... Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu also do not have a chance."

Ambedkar said that TRS founder and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao is another senior regional leader but he would not have the support of Congress.

When asked if NCP supremo and former union minister Sharad Pawar stands a chance, he said: "He is not prime minister material."