Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that the 2019 elections are not for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but for Bharat.

“Remember that the coming election isn’t for BJP but for Bharat. The amount of work we have done in the last four years is so huge that the previous government had not even done 25% of it. Congress is empty now. Since 2014, many Congressis have joined hands with the BJP. Just imagine the condition of the country if a khichdi government grabs power in 2019,” said Mr. Fadnavis, addressing a gathering of BJP workers at Shanmukhanand Hall in Matunga.

He claimed that since the Opposition cannot counter the developmental works of the government, it is raising issues of intolerance and censorship.

On Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s attack over the alleged Rafale scam, Mr. Fadnavis said that questions are being raised because the BJP is working hard. “[Mr. Gandhi] keeps talking as no one wants to listen to him,” he said. Referring to PM Narendra Modi as a chowkidar (security guard), Mr. Fadnavis asked the crowd as to who could be scared of him, to which the BJP workers shouted “chor” (thief).

Amid reports of a telephonic conversation between BJP president Amit Shah and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to discuss poll alliance, the BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar on Tuesday said his party will be winning all six seats in Mumbai. “I can see the enthusiasm in [BJP workers] and I am sure this is the beginning of the party’s victory in the Lok Sabha. This will show whose voice is the loudest in Mumbai,” he said.

Mr. Shelar said that all Congress leaders are running away from battle as they fear losing. Calling Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam ‘bhagoda’ (coward) over him not contesting the Mumbai north Lok sabh seat, Mr. Shelar said that Priya Dutt, Milind Deora too aren’t willing to contest becuae they feared losing. “This is because of the power you have shown,” he told workers.