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BJP hopeful of securing 300-plus seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections

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NEW DELHI: The BJP on Wednesday exuded confidence that the ruling NDA combine will be able to muster two-third majority in 2019 Parliamentary polls and a resurgent saffron party wave could even force Congress President Rahul Gandhi to think of 'changing his constituency'.

"The way things are emerging, the NDA will win two-third majority of its own and BJP will cross 300 marks," a senior party leader said here.

Sources also that the 'frustration' in the opposition camp will come into force once Ms Mayawati-led BSP and Samajwadi Party do not agree for alliance.

"The Congress' position will be worse and I should not be saying this but Congress may lose the polls in Amethi and may be... Rahul Gandhi will be forced to change his constituency," he said.

"In Amethi, almost the entire Congress unit has shifted allegiance to us now," he claimed.

The party leader maintained that growing fuel price will not have much impact on the overall inflationary figures.

"The BJP government has kept inflation rate around 4 per cent...when we cane to power the inflationary figure was about 11 per cent".

Sources indicated that Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been interacting with states and especially the BJP chief ministers and may try to bring down VAT so that the hardship of the consumers is minimised.

"However, the decisions will be taken by the states independently and on right time," the source said without elaborating further.

Till now, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje announced a four per cent reduction in value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel just a day before the opposition sponsored 'Bharat Bandh'.

Similarly, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed a resolution to reduce petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2 per litre.

Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal government has also intervened and announcing reducing the fuel price by rupee one.

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