Pune, Feb 9 (IANS): India's growth will decline and pace of development will be derailed if "thugs" came to power in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah warned here on Saturday.

Stating that the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi "gave a new direction of development" to the nation since 2014, he said the elections will decide the future of the country.

"What could not be achieved in 55 years has been achieved by Modiji in the past 55 months. The BJP stressed on 'vikas' (development) and the latest budget has done justice to all sections of the society," Shah said while addressing a meeting of party leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Reiterating that the BJP is a party of workers and not leaders, he said in the past five years, it has virtually wiped out the influence of 'one family', crushed casteist-communal type of politics, rid the country of corruption and catapulted it on the path of rapid development.

Criticising the opposition parties, he said nobody can stop the BJP's victory chariot in the coming elections, "and no opposition Grand Alliance can prevent us from returning to power".

Fadnavis said the 2020-2035 period was critical for the country as it was poised to overtake the economies of China and the US. To ensure that the "strong development agenda continues unhindered" it was imperative to vote for the BJP in the next elections, he said.

He urged the people of Maharashtra to ensure the BJP's and its allies victory in all of the state's 48 Lok Sabha seats.