The Conservatives are targeting several seats in the north-east as part of ambitious plans to trigger a “political earthquake” in Scotland.
Senior party figures believe they can dramatically increase their Scottish representation at Westminster at next year’s general election.
The Tories have just one MP in Scotland, but a source told the Press and Journal yesterday they were hopeful of major gains in the north-east and the Borders.
“There’s a cluster of seats in the Aberdeen area where we think we can do well,” he said.
Another Tory insider said: “We’re serious about Scotland. We could pull off a political earthquake.”
Top of the target list in the north-east is understood to be the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine seat.
It has been held since its creation in 1997 by the Liberal Democrat MP Sir Robert Smith, who will defend a majority of 3,684 in May next year.
The Tories were runners-up at each of the last four general elections, and routinely represented its predecessor constituencies, including Kincardine and Deeside, where George Kynoch was MP from 1992 to 1997.
Conservatives also enjoyed success historically in Aberdeen South, Scotland’s most affluent constituency, until Dame Anne Begg won the seat for Labour in 1997.
In past decades the party has held seats which preceded Gordon – currently represented by Lib Dem Sir Malcolm Bruce – as well as Banff and Buchan, where the SNP’s Eilidh Whiteford is the sitting MP.
Asked by the Press and Journal how many Scottish seats the Conservatives could win at next year’s election, the party’s UK chairman Grant Shapps responded: “Several.”
He added: “If ever there was a moment when it’s easy to rebut the argument that politicians and political parties are only in it for themselves, the Conservative support for Scotland remaining part of the union must be the ultimate example.
“It’s the ultimate example of us putting the nation before the party. We absolutely believe in the union, we’re much stronger together. We’re clearly not doing it for immense political gain, that’s an understatement.”
Despite briefings from UK ministers which have angered the Better Together campaign – particularly the idea that Scotland could keep the pound after independence – Mr Shapps insisted the coalition was united.
“In the Cabinet, we are absolutely as one. It’s the time when the coalition speaks with the most united voice – on the union and the economy,” he said.
“These are times when you don’t hear any division between us.”