BJP MLA and Maharashtra Minister for Fisheries, Nitesh Rane, referred to Muslims as “green snaked” during an election rally, and claimed they would be “cleared out” once a ‘bhagwadari’ leader chanting “Jai Shri Ram” is elected. He stated that after electing an “I love Mahadev” candidate, not a single “gol topiwalle (skullcaps)” or “dadiwalle(bearded men)” would be seen in the area. Rane also alleged that vegetable vendors should not be Bangladeshi or Rohingya and threatened to “clear them all out.” He promoted the anti-Muslim conspiracy theory of ‘land jihad,’ warning voters to support his party on January 15, claiming that bulldozers would begin operating by January 17, asserting that dargahs would not be tolerated under the pretext of ‘land jihad.’