BJP confident of winning Amethi

The BJP Monday expressed confidence that it will win from Amethi parliamentary constituency where its leader Smriti Irani is pitted against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley in a blog published Monday quoted figures from an opinion poll and said 40% popular votes are going to the BJP in the 33 Uttar Pradesh constituencies which are yet to go to the polls.

"This inherently makes Amethi vulnerable. Coupled with extensive campaigning done by Smriti Irani, a strong anti-incumbency against Congress and the Gandhis for non-development of Amethi and the desire to puncture the arrogance of those who feel that they own Amethi, all have the potential of making Amethi challenge into a stiff one," Jaitley said.

Amethi, a traditional stronghold of the Gandhi family from where Rahul Gandhi is the incumbent MP, is witnessing a three-way contest between the Congress vice president, BJP's Smriti Irani and Aam Aadmi Party's Kumar Vishwas.

The comment came on a day when BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally in Amethi.