The Move Forward Party (MFP) has set its sights on winning 160 House seats in next week's election, as it seeks to be a core party in a coalition government and nominate its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, as the country's next prime minister.
MFP secretary-general, Chaithawat Tulathon, said on Thursday that the party is now expecting to win at least 125 seats in various constituencies across the country, while the rest will come from party-list calculations.
The new target is in line with the latest pre-election survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), which found support for the MFP rose to 35.36% in the party-list system, up from 21.85% last month. In the constituency system, its approval rating also rose to 33.96% from 21.20% last month, the survey found.
At a campaign rally in Bangkok's Samyan Mitrtown late last month, the party's leaders said if it can maintain its popularity until the election date, there is a real possibility that the party could win more than 100 seats.
Mr Chaithawat expressed confidence that the current opposition bloc will emerge victorious in the May 14 polls.
"There's no need to worry about the MFP and the Pheu Thai Party undercutting each other. Based on various surveys, the government camp is unlikely to get 180 seats, while Pheu Thai and the MFP will capture around 300 seats combined. It will keep any opportunists away," he said.
Asked if the MFP would back down from its stance on the lese majeste law, he said the issue is pending in the House, so there is no need for the party to make the issue part of the condition for joining the coalition.
However, he said the party would ask its partners to sign an agreement on certain issues, including a public referendum on constitution amendments, the scrapping of mandatory military services and decentralisation of power.
Mr Chaithawat said the party's election caravans in the four regions are now up and running, and they will converge in Bangkok for the final election rally on May 12.
Mr Pita said on Thursday the party's stance on the lese majeste law is to seek its amendment, not its abolition.
