Priyanka Gandhi to end Ganga Yatra today, will sound poll bugle in PM Modi's turf Varanasi

Heating up the political temperature in the holy city, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will cuminate her three-day Ganga Yatra in PM Modi's constituency.

Priyanka Gandhi during her Ganga Yatra in Mirzapur/ Image: OTI

New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will today culminate her three-day Ganga Yatra and will sound the poll bugle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Wednesday, heating up the political temperature in the holy city. Gandhi who is on an interactive boat ride campaign via Ganga waterways, will offer prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and will interact with people on Ghats. She will participate in the ‘Mallah Sammelan’ at Assi Ghat. She will also visit Dashashwamedh Ghat in the holy city. A controversy has erupted over Priyanka’s visit to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, as a group of lawyers had handed a letter to the district magistrate, claiming that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should not be allowed to enter the Kashi Vishwanath temple as she is a Christian. The letter claimed that Priyanka was a Christian and she should be stopped from entering the temple, keeping in mind the ancient values of Sanatan Dharma. Priyanka reached Chunar, Mirzapur, last night where she received a grand welome by Congress workers. In a power-packed speech Gandhi targeted the BJP and said: “They talk of patriotism. Is there anyone here who is not a patriot? You're patriots who will save this country from those people. You'll protect this country and shoulder its responsibility.” She said: “Show them how patriotic you are. Teach those people a lesson, who speak nonsense during elections, don't care about your development but care only about the development of their campaigns.” Priyanka kicked off her party's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh on Monday by offering prayers at the Lette Hanuman temple near Sangam. During her three-day visit, Priyanka is to cover a distance of 100-km by boat in Ganga from Allahabad to Varanasi-  the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hopping from one temple to another. Her Ganga cruise is being seen by political observers as an effort to navigate her party out of a nearly three-decade long wilderness in the state.