'Cong will win Amethi and Raebareli; INDIA to get...'

Exuding confidence over INDIA bloc's victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal claimed that the opposition coalition would triumph not only in South India but also in Northern states, aiming to secure at least 300 seats.

In an interview with ANI, Venugopal said, "INDIA alliance will get a minimum of 300 seats. This is our assessment. We have done very well in South India in these elections. Everyone said that the BJP is going to sweep North India or repeat the same number which they got the last time. This is not going to happen at all. Our internal report is very clear. Rajasthan, Haryana, UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Delhi - all these places, Congress and INDIA alliance will get more seats. It is a clear winning situation for INDIA alliance".

Expressing strong confidence in reclaiming the Congress strongholds of Raebareli and Amethi, which the BJP's Smriti Irani won in 2019, Venugopal asserted, "We will secure Raebareli with a significant majority and definitely recapture Amethi. Both seats will return to the Congress. Ground reports are unequivocal".

He mentioned that the Congress party's goal is to diminish the Bharatiya Janata Party's representation in Uttar Pradesh by securing half of the seats in the state.

"The ground reports are very clear. We are going to reduce BJP's number very drastically in Uttar Pradesh. We are going to get a minimum of half of the seats in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

Focusing on upcoming election phases of the Lok Sabha polls, Venugopal detailed the alliance's strategy and progress.

"We are closely monitoring the seats going to polls in the next two phases. Our candidates and the party machinery, along with our alliance partners, are working diligently to maximize our seat count," he stated.

Citing widespread dissatisfaction among farmers and service workers towards the current administration and after the recent farmers protest, Venugopal conveyed optimism about winning a substantial number of seats in Punjab and Haryana.

"We are confident of winning maximum seats in Punjab. In Haryana too - the entire farming community and service people are in large number in these two states. Both of them are very unhappy with this government. We are very confident. In Haryana also we will get majority. In Punjab, definitely. We are going to do well in Himachal Pradesh also," he said.

The first five phases of polling were held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20.

The next two rounds of voting will be held on May 25 and June 1.

The results will be announced on June 4.