BJP aims for 'world-record' victory margin for Modi in Vadodara

Since the BJP seems assured of its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's victory from Vadodara, party workers have set a victory margin target.

"The target is to win by a world-record margin of 5 to 6 lakh votes," said Balkrishna Shukla, the sitting Vadodara BJP MP, who is vacating his seat for Modi.

Modi will file his nomination papers from Vadodara Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday.

The party believes its target margin is quite reasonable.

"In 2009, when the voting percentage was just 49%, BJP's victory margin was 1.36 lakh votes. Now with election commission taking several steps to increase the voting percentage and with 9% of the 15 lakh voters casting their votes for the first time, there is no reason to doubt the target," said Shukla, who is looking after Modi's campaign in his absence.

However, Congress leaders dismissed the victory margin projection.

"We may not match Modi's celebrity status but we will give him a run for his money and turn the tables," said Narendra Ravat, city Congress president.

Congress candidate Madhusudan Mistry and his team are raking up local issues to connect with the people.

"The people here are not getting proper drinking water. The condition of roads is bad. There are sanitation problems, including mosquitoes and potholes. All sewage goes into the Vishwamitri river that flows through the city. Is this development?" said Ravat.

The Congress is also banking on its youth wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which won the MS University Students' Union polls last year.