“Mard hoon, dekh loonga. I-T department yad rakhe, BJP ki sarkar ayegi tab kahan jaoge?” The warning — reminiscent of the time when “angry youngmen” ruled Bollywood, was sent out by Nitin Gadakri, still seething over his last-minute exit from the race for the BJP chief's post. Though facing charges of irregular business practices, Gadkari looked on course to be the BJP president for the second time running but then income-tax officials decided to visit the offices of his Purti group’s investor companies on January 22, a day before he was to file papers.

The visits came in handy for his detractors within the party and he had to opt out in favour of Rajnath Singh.

So, when Gadkari returned to his home town on Thursday, I-T officials were the obvious target. “Where will you go once the BJP comes to power? There will be no Chidambaram or Sonia to save them, once the Congress is out of power,” he told a crowd of supporters.

Holding the ruling Congress responsible for the I-T action, he said some people were conspiring against him and he would name them.

“As the BJP president I had to maintain dignity and exercise restraints. Now, I'm a free man.   I will expose all corrupt Congress politicians,” he said.

He said the party was also blackmailing Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati by using the CBI.