Anutin told the Kammakorn Khao news programme he has set his sights on finishing first, or at least leading its political bloc, because those who finish second are quickly forgotten, reports the Bangkok Post.
“Our target is number one. Even if we are not the first nationwide, we must be first within our bloc,” he said.
Anutin said that BJT does not view the People’s Party (PP) as an opposing camp, noting that while PP leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut has said he would not support him as prime minister, he has never ruled out cooperation with BJT.
Asked about seat projections of up to 180 seats, Anutin said he deliberately avoided giving a precise figure as it could be seen as exaggeration.
He said the party is fully prepared for the polls, whether it is policy brainstorming, mobilisation of human resources, or assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of its candidates contesting the constituency system nationwide.
“The chances of winning more than 100 seats are greater than the chances of securing fewer than 100,” he said.
The BJT leader also admitted that he was surprised by the then-Move Forward Party’s landslide victory in Bangkok, where it won all but one seat.
Anutin said he had expected the PP’s predecessor to capture around 20 seats. Pheu Thai won one seat in Bangkok in the previous election.
However, he said that BJT is fully aware it will struggle in many urban constituencies.
He praised the performance of younger politicians, saying he had admired them since the days of the Future Forward Party.
“They may have entered politics without experience, but they proved themselves in parliament. They are not ‘kids from yesterday’, they are children of the future,” he said.
Anutin said his party now has many capable members of similar age and perspectives, allowing the party to formulate policies that resonate across generations.
On coalition formation, Anutin said all scenarios have been considered, from the best-case of 200 seats to a fair case of 160-170 seats to the worst-case scenario of around 130.