Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Rana claimed that the BJP was heading for a landslide victory and would manage to snatch the Mandvi seat, the last Congress bastion in South Gujarat.

``The Congress has already accepted its defeat'', he said. ``The Congress claim that it will raise its State tally to 15 will be proved wrong.''

According to Rana, the weak Congress had actually made electioneering difficult for the BJP. He explained, ``In the absence of a formidable challenge, our election machinery has become prone to complacency.''

However, he claimed that the response to his campaign had been very good. ``We have received overwhelming support'', Rana said, claiming that a large number of Dalits and Muslims from Surat, Navsari and Valsad had recently joined the party in a significant pro-BJP wave.

BJP city president Pravin Naik, convener for the Surat Lok Sabha constituency, claimed, ``Rana may even win by a margin of six lakh votes''.

C R Patil, BJP in-charge for Valsad constituency, exuded confidence that the BJP candidate Manibhai Chaudhary, who won the last lok Sabha election by a thin margin, would increase his margin respectably this time. ``I am hopeful that he will win by 80,000 votes'', he said.

Asked about Umargam fishermen's decision to support the Congress candidate, who has opposed the proposed port at Maroli, Rana said, ``It will not make any difference. They are misguided by some people living outside (the area). Now the Gujarat Maritime Board has come up with a booklet which dispels all doubts relating the the port.''