Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday predicted early Lok Sabha elections, and said that even if the government succeeds in sending him to prison, it will not make a difference to him.

“[Prime Minister Narendra] Modi may go for Lok Sabha polls in 2018, ahead of its scheduled time in 2019,” Yadav was quoted as saying by NDTV. He also predicted a rout for the ruling party when it calls elections.

Speaking at the national executive meeting of his Rashtriya Janata Party in Patna, Yadav said that people were earlier scared of lions, but with the Narendra Modi government in power, they are now scared of cows.

“Attempts are being made to scare me away,” Yadav said, according to India Today. “Cases are being registered against me and my family members in order to cow down us. They want me to go to jail so that they can win election. Even if Lalu Prasad Yadav is banished to the mountains, it will make no difference. Lalu’s writ runs large even in jail.”

He also said: “ I dare the BJP to send me to jail. The more you attack me, the more the voters will embrace Lalu.”