With 'Shiv Bhakt' Rahul posters in Bhopal, Congress chief kicks off MP poll campaign

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday began his roadshow here in Madhya Pradesh's capital city with his party workers putting up posters and banners describing the 48-year-old leader, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.

Posters and banners of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders seen in Bhopal ahead of his roadshow in the city. Photo: ANI

BHOPAL: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday held a roadshow here in Madhya Pradesh's capital city with his party workers putting up posters and banners describing the 48-year-old leader, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'. Gandhi, who has recently been accused of adopting 'soft Hindutva' plank to appease the majority community, embarked on his roadshow after taking blessings from 11 Hindu priests. Hindu priests, chanting mantras, blessed Gandhi as he reached the Lalgathi area, amid a heavy security cover, to launch the poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh where the BJP has been ruling for the last 15 years. Before hopping on to a bus for the 15-km-long roadshow, Gandhi performed a 'puja'. Thousands of Congressmen thronged the road sides and jostled to catch a glimpse of their party chief, who set out in the bus along with senior party leaders. He started the roadshow from Lalghati Chowk in an open bus near the airport. He passed through old city areas before reaching BHEL Dussehra Maidan. The roadshow covered around 18 km. He will address party workers later in the evening. Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are due this year along with Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram. Gandhi was received at the airport by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia among others. As he stepped out from the airport, several Congressmen holding the party flags chanted "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad". (With PTI inputs)