Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Congress had already conceded defeat in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections and fled the battlefield, the Hindustan Times reported.

Taking a jab at Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Modi said: “No big Congress leader is coming to Himachal. At this stage, the Congress has left Virbhadra to his fate.”

While addressing a rally in Rait, the prime minister said the ruling party in the state was like a termite and urged people to wipe them out from Himachal Pradesh in the upcoming election, The Times of India reported. “The ills plaguing Himachal Pradesh can only be cured by completely rooting out the termites that is the Congress party,” he said.

Criticising the opposition party’s decision to observe November 8, the first anniversary of demonetisation, as a “Black Day”, Modi said only the dishonest were crying hoarse. “They do not know that Modi is a disciple of Sardar Patel and will not be cowed down, he will keep fighting against corruption,” he said.

The Congress, Modi added, was afraid that authorities will seize its unaccounted wealth.

After the election results are announced, “the Congress will not be visible even through a magnifying glass for many years,” Modi said.

Himachal Pradesh goes to the polls on November 9, and the results will be announced on December 18.