Congress efforts on Rafale deal will fall flat: Athawale

 The Congress campaign against the Modi government on the Rafale deal will fall flat and the BJP will win more than 300 seats in the 2019 general elections, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said on Thursday.

Accusing Congress President Rahul Gandhi of repeatedly making "baseless allegations" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the fighter jet deal with France, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment claimed that such campaigns will not reap much benefit for either Gandhi or his party as its seats tally in 2019 will not cross 70.

"The Rafale issue is being blown out of proportion. Rahul Gandhi is making abusive statements about the Prime Minister. He has even called Modi ji a thief. But if he wants to have people and leaders of other parties by his side, he has to desist from making such baseless allegations," Athawale told reporters here.

"The Congress can get close to 60-70 seats in 2019 but their tally will not cross 70. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party, which won 282 seats in 2014, will get more than 300 seats this time. The NDA alliance will form the government and Modi ji will become the Prime Minister again because the developmental work under this government has been unprecedented," the Republican Party of India (RPI) leader claimed.

"The BJP will also win significant number seats in Bengal. The BJP is doing well in Bengal politics. We will continue our alliance with the BJP. My party has good infrastructure in 17 Bengal districts," he added.- IANS