On Board Air India One, Oct 24 (IANS): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday exuded confidence that the Congress would emerge victorious in the 2014 parliamentary elections and surprise all.

"I am confident the Congress will emerge victorious," the prime minister told reporters on way back from his visit to Russia and China.

He also said that the allegations of scams against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government relate only to its first term and not to UPA-II.

In the general election of 2009, the Congress party won "hands down", he said adding: "I am sure when the results of 2014 come out, the country will once again be surprised."

The prime minister also said that though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be perceived to be running ahead of the Congress with an aggressive election campaign but the "slow and steady" would win the race.

"I don't share the view that the Congress party is not active enough. I think the Congress party is quite active. I think the BJP may have started early, but I think it will also peak early. And slow and steady (wins the race) I think is the thing which sometimes also works in public life as well."

"And I am confident the Congress party will come out victorious in the 2014 elections."