Exuding confidence that the BJP will better its 2014 Lok Sabha tally, its president Amit Shah has predicted that the saffron party will win over 55 new seats, propelled by its focus on national security and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal.

Shah also scorned Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for their criticism of Modi for attacking their father, the late Rajiv Gandhi, asserting that “they cannot run away from their past however hard they try”.

The BJP swept to its maiden majority in 2014 by winning 282 of 543 seats. Asserting that the BJP will get a majority on its own, he said the party would win more than 23 seats in West Bengal and 13-15 seats in Odisha. In 2014, the BJP had won two and one seat in these two states, respectively.

After taking over as BJP chief, Shah had also identified 120 seats spread  across the country as potentially winnable. The party had lost them in 2014. “The BJP will win more than 55 of those constituencies,” he added.

With top Congress leaders slamming Modi for his sharp attack on Rajiv Gandhi, Shah questioned, “Why can he or Jawaharlal Nehru not be criticised simply because they are from the Gandhi family?”

The BJP president also mocked Rahul Gandhi over his claim that Modi should pack his bags, and said let May 23 come and “we will see who gets to pack his bags”.