MP Congress promotes its party president as ‘Lord Ram’, calls him ‘Pandit Rahul Gandhi’

The 48-year-old Amethi MP was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, state party campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia and Leader of Opposition in MP Assembly Ajay Singh.

Chitrakoot (MP): Congress president Rahul Gandhi began a two-day visit to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh Thursday with prayers at the famous Kamta Nath temple in Satna district's Chitrakoot town. Gandhi reached Chitrakoot, a religious town closely associated with Lord Ram, from Allahabad by helicopter and stayed in the temple premises for about half-an-hour while performing the 'puja'. Ahead of his visit, posters were placed across Chitrakoot, where Rahul Gandhi was addressed as ‘Pandit Rahul Gandhi’ and ‘shiv bhakt’ (devotee of lord shiva); the same is being seen as party’s attempt to attract Brahmin population. The Kamta Nath temple is located on the forested hill of Kamadgiri where, according to mythology, Lord Rama stayed during his exile. On arrival in Chitrakoot, Gandhi addressed a crowd, where he lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Narendra Modi Ji is making Sardar Patel's statue in Gujarat. It will be world's tallest statue but it will be 'Made In China' like our shoes and shirts” he said. The 48-year-old Amethi MP was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, state party campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia and Leader of Opposition in MP Assembly Ajay Singh. The Congress chief will leave for Rewa, where he will hold a roadshow, in the evening. On Friday, Gandhi will travel by a bus to address public meetings at Saipur Mod, Baron, Baikunthpur, Lalgaon and Chunari villages spread over Rewa and Satna, party leaders. The Congress has been out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003. During his earlier visit on September 17, Gandhi held a roadshow in Bhopal after performing a puja and taking blessings from 11 priests. He had visited the state after returning from the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, which he undertook to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva.