Amit Shah has set his party a target of 65 of Madhya Pradesh's 90 seats that are up for elections.
BJP chief Amit Shah flagged off the party's election campaign in Chhattisgarh with a roadshow in Ambikapur, more than 300 km from state capital Raipur, followed by a public rally. The Raman Singh government is seeking a fourth term in the state, which goes to polls by the end of this year.
At the end of a 5-km roadshow, complete with bikers, drummers and performances by folk artistes, Mr Shah addressed a huge rally, where he launched a scathing attack on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.
"Rahul baba, why are you asking for account of our four years? We do not need to give you any account. We will give an account of every minute and every paisa to people when we go to them to ask for votes," Mr Shah said. "Your family governed the country for four generations and 55 years. Why has there not been any development?"
Mr Gandhi, he said, should look within before seeking an account of the BJP's achievements. "With the onset of summer, they rush to Europe and Italy for vacations. When Rahul baba comes here to ask for votes, will you not ask him about the dismal record of his party?" he said.
Mr Shah has set his party a target of 65 of the state's 90 seats that are up for elections. In 2013, the party won 49 seats -- down from 50 in 2008. The Congress had increased its tally from 38 to 39 seats.
Ambikapur, a constituency in Surguja district, has been a Congress stronghold, won consecutively in 2008 and 2013 by Tribhuneswar Sharan Singh Dev.
Popularly known as TS Baba, the 66-year-old is the heir of the state's erstwhile royal family from Surguja, and one of the richest lawmakers in the state assembly with a declared asset of Rs 561.5 crore.
The Congress sees the coming elections as its big chance to wrest the state in face of what it calls anti-incumbency against the BJP government.