The Conservatives are “well on course” to unseat Labour as Scotland’s second biggest party, according to leader Ruth Davidson.
Ms Davidson cited a raft of internal and external polls, as well as indications from canvassing throughout the country, which suggests the Tories will emerge as Holyrood’s main opposition when the polls close on Thursday.
Her team is “ready to get to work on Monday” to hold the Scottish Government to account, she said.
Ms Davidson said she is picking up votes from all parties and sides of the constitutional divide, including some nationalists despite her pledge to oppose another independence referendum.
Even SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has acknowledged the Conservatives put forward alternative policies for consideration in the last parliament, Ms Davidson told journalists at her final campaign push at Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens.
“I want us to have our best campaign ever, with more seats and more MSPs than ever before,” she said.
“We are well on course for that but I do not set a limit to my ambitions, nor do I set a ceiling, so the higher the better for me.
“But it’s not for its own sake, but for what we can do.
“We can do a job as the main opposition party and we’re ready to get to work on Monday if that happens.”
When asked what evidence she has to suggest she will come second, she said: “External polling, internal polling, on the doorstep and around the country – the whole shebang.”
The Tory leader reached out to Yes and No voters, and those who have previously voted Labour and Liberal Democrat, to cast their vote for her party and unseat “divided” and diminished Labour as Scotland’s main opposition.
She said she has also met some voters who are voting SNP on the constituency ballot and Conservative in their regional ballot.
“Bizarrely, I’ve met lots of people who are using one vote for who they want as the government and one vote for who they want as an opposition,” she said.
“There are quite a lot of people who voted Yes who aren’t natural SNP voters, so they do want to have a government that is held to account both ways.”
She added: “I have had it acknowledged by Nicola several times that at least we are putting forward alternatives to be considered.
“I think it is incumbent upon a main opposition leader to do that, but there is another responsibility too, and that is to be the voice of all the people that aren’t being listened to by the government.”
She confirmed her intention to oppose another independence referendum but said she wants to get “stuck into” the SNP and urge them to use devolved powers more effectively.
In a final rallying call to activists, she said: “Who do you want holding that Scottish Government to account?
“A Labour Party weakened by division, low on batteries, reduced to its smallest team ever? How does that work?
“Or a fresh team – my team – this team, ready, united; ready to serve and raring to go?
“Well, I say this – Labour, you’ve had your chance. Twice. Move over and let someone else have a go. Let me get stuck into them.”
