Rahul not campaigning as Oppn has accepted defeat: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that opposition Congress and NCP have accepted defeat ahead of the Assembly polls, as seen by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's absence from campaign.

He also said the Nationalist Congress Party is "half- empty", and will be emptied fully after the poll results are out on October 24.

"They are already in defeatist frame of mind. I read in newspapers that Rahul Gandhi is in Bangkok," Fadnavis said at a rally at Ner in Dhule district of north Maharashtra.

"He knows they are going to lose anyway, so why take the blame for defeat? He is not ready to come here," Fadnavis said.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar was campaigning, but he too was aware that his party was "half-empty", Fadnavis said, referring to exit of several leaders from the NCP in the run- up to the polls.

"The remaining half would be empty after the election. Yesterday (Congress veteran) Sushilkumar Shinde said we (Congress and NCP) are tired and will merge ...