Rahul Gandhi says the ruling BJP may win 97 out of the 182 seats in the 2017 assembly elections

GANDHINAGAR: A confidential report prepared by the Gujarat Congress and sent to the party’s national vice-president Rahul Gandhi says the ruling BJP may win 97 out of the 182 seats in the 2017 assembly elections. The same report says the Congress will win a maximum of 85 seats if it is lucky.

Sources said the report, ‘scientifically prepared’ with the help of professional agencies, says that out of 182 seats of the assembly, “the BJP has 100% chance of winning on 52 seats (mostly in urban areas) and 80% to 85% chance of winning on another 45 seats.” This adds up to 97 seats on which the BJP is comfortably placed. Even if the ruling party does not win on any other seat, it will be able to form government by a thin majority, sources said quoting the report.

The report further says that even if the Congress wins all the remaining 85 seats (which is unlikely), it will not be enough to form the government. According to the report, as against the BJP’s 52 ‘A-Grade’ seats -i.e., the seats on which the ruling party is sure to win – the Congress has only 8 ‘A-Grade’ seats.

A source close to the development said that the Congress is yet to fill in many gaps. It has small presence in the four major cities and in semi-urban areas. Moreover, the BJP is far ahead in booth-level management which is the weakest point of the Congress. “The Congress will have to increase its efforts manifold to give a tough fight to the BJP,” the source said.

Bureau Report