They were completely unelectable a few years back with constant squabbling between the factions, once Salmond took over and started organising them a bit better by reigning in a few loudmouths/factions, they saw they were starting to gain a bit of traction so went along with it. Now they are quite a polished battle hardened machine (after the constant slagging off by all of the UK press/media during the referendum campaign). That campaign also energised a lot of people in Scotland to get involved in politics, this is why SNP supporters are all over social media attacking everything that is negative about them, they are still angry about the lies told about them and broken promises made to No voters in the Referendum campaign which lost them victory.
The referendum campaign was close, pretty much a 50/50 split, but even the morning after as Westminster backtracked on all it's promises it made support for the SNP has rocketed, because they didn't cheat. If the Referendum was held today it would be somewhere around 70% in favour, instead Scotland is going to be punished whoever takes over in Westminster this time because there are no votes for either side up here.
Scotland is fighting for it's life.
The only reason this came about is because of the Independence issue. The only way Scotland will get another referendum in the next 30-50 years is with an increased voice in Westminster, this is the SNP's priority. It also wouldn't surprise me to see candidates in an SNP based protest party South of of the Border in 5 years time as a way of increasing their power to get another referendum vote.
