New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday entered north Gujarat, the bastion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, and began his campaign with a visit to the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar.
Mr Gandhi is scheduled to cover areas in 19 Assembly constituencies spread across Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Banaskantha, Patan and Mehsana where Patidars and the OBCs wield great influence. The BJP was quick to criticise Mr Gandhi's visit to the temple and rushed Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan to campaign in the state's OBC-dominated areas.
Criticising his temple visits, Gujarat deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel asked why Mr Gandhi has decided to visit temples ahead of elections.
“People know their intention — that they want to get votes by such gimmicks. They have no devotion as during Rahul Gandhi's earlier trip he never visited any temple. We wish that Congress sheds its pseudo-secularism and respects mainstream Hindutva. Their gimmicks to get votes will not work in Gujarat,” Mr Patel said.
Hitting back, Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said people will teach the BJP a lesson as it is opposing visits to temples. “Rahul Gandhiji has visited Jain temple and gurudwaras apart from Hindu temples. We believe in secularism,” he said. Mr Gandhi visited the famous Ambaji temple in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district. Before visiting the temple, he spoke a meeting on the rights of tribals at Khedbrahmma where he attacked the incumbent government for failing to provide employment and chided Mr Modi for his silence on Jay Shah.
