Cong, BJP spar on issue of winning polls

In a fresh jibe, BJP today said that defeat was staring at Congress ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, a contention which the ruling party dismissed saying it will form the next coalition government even if it loses seats.
"You lose in politics when you stop trying," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said citing examples of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not addressing a single rally in Delhi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi leaving the campaign here after poor response at a poll meeting.
"Six months are left for 2014 polls. I am confident that voters don't decide on their vote after seeing exit polls... Congress can lose seats... It can lose more seats... Going by my experience, I can say the Congress party will form the next coalition government," Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Kamal Nath said.

The two leaders were engaged in a war of words while participating at the 'Agenda Aaj Tak' conclave here.
Nath also termed Narendra Modi as BJP's "last card" to help the saffron party grab power at the Centre, but maintained that people of the country still have faith in Congress and it will come to power.
"Modi was BJP's last card... There was no unanimity on his name even within BJP, forget about the country. But this was BJP's last card," said Nath, only to be retorted by Jaitley who said Congress had "no card" to show to the public as it did not name any prime ministerial candidate.

"For any party to win and make the next government, they will have to win a lot of seats," Nath said, adding that BJP was far away from its target.

Jaitley, on the other hand, claimed there was a wave in favour of BJP and Modi across the country and the exit polls results are an indication to this effect.
"You have to judge Modi and BJP on the basis of their performance and not on propaganda against them," Jaitley said.
Nath, however, said, "People don't vote according to exit polls. The NDA was projected to win in 2004, but they didn't. People care about development and governance. I've been hearing about anti-incumbency... But it doesn't work that way.