'We are not only hopeful but confident that BJP will lose', says Ahmed Patel

We are not only hopeful but confident that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will lose in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, said senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Saturday.

"We are not only hopeful but also very confident that the BJP will lose. We will get good results in Gujarat too, we will cross double digit," he said addressing media persons here. "After the election results are announced on May 23, the BJP will no longer be in the government," he added.

Talking about the incidents of Electronic Voter Machine (EVM) malfunction, he said: "The central government and Election Commission must be held accountable as so many EVMs malfunctioned during the polling."

Sharpening his attack on the government for fielding Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur as Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, Patel said: "The BJP can elect anyone they want to, but her controversial statement on the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Chief Hemant Karkare shows her ideologies."

Sadhvi Pragya on April 18 had said that ATS Chief died in the terror attack as she had cursed him. She also received flak from various opposition parties over her controversial remark.

On being asked about the attack on the Congress leader Hardik Patel, Congress leader said, "BJP is anxious because they know they are going to lose in the elections."

Gujarat will go to polls on April 23 in a single phase for all the 26 Lok Sabha seats. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

-ANI