Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, and said that people are suffering because of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax regime, The Indian Express reported.

He added that the 2019 general elections will be fought between the people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as discontent and anger have “risen among the public”.

Kejriwal said people have begun to stand up for themselves. “I don’t know how much leaders or political parties will matter in the elections, but the next election will be Mr Modi versus the people of India.” The people will defeat him, he reiterated.

“They can do [politics of] Hindu-Muslim, Dalit-Rajput, Padmavati, cow as much as they want,” the chief minister said, adding that people, however, forget such things when they do not get basic necessities like food. Such matters do not give food to people, he said.

Kejriwal was speaking at the launch of the book India Social by Aam Aadmi Party’s Social Media Strategist Ankit Lal in New Delhi.

Former Union Minister Arun Shourie, who was also at the event, criticised the ruling government. He said that they “have not delivered on development and all the indications [are] that they don’t have the attention span to work diligently on economic reforms.”

Shourie added: “Reforming the economy is a matter which is a marathon, and these people don’t have the attention for that marathon.” He also urged all the opposition parties to come together if they want to change the way things are happening in the country.