OTTAWA — A month ago, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet was openly talking about the possibility of forming the next Official Opposition in Parliament. Now, polling suggests he might lose seats to the Liberals.

“Don’t worry, I have cleats… The rug is not going to slide out from under me,” Blanchet said at his caucus retreat two weeks ago when asked about a possible surge in Liberal voting intentions as the party’s leadership race got underway.