Dwarka, Feb 26 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday offered prayers at the Dwarkadhish temple here following his arrival in Gujarat for his party’s brainstorming session to chalk out a strategy for the state Assembly elections due in December this year.
Gandhi is here to take part in the Chintan Shivir, a brainstorming session organised by the Gujarat Congress, which began on Friday and will end on Sunday. The visit is being seen as the start of the Congress’ election campaign for the Assembly polls in a state that for long has been a BJP fortress.
Gandhi landed at Jamnagar airport in a special plane, before arriving at Dwarka in a helicopter around noon.
He was welcomed at the helipad near Dwarka town by several senior party leaders, including Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor, former state president Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Sukhram Rathva, among others.
After that, he reached the famous Dwarkadhish temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, where traditional folk dance was presented to welcome him. After being applied ’tilak’ on forehead, Gandhi went into the temple with a ‘dhaja’, a large religious flag to be offered to the temple after performing puja, said Gujarat Congress’ Kisan Cell president, Pal Ambalia.
Inside the temple, Gandhi offered prayers to Lord Dwarkadhish and took part in a religious ritual or puja. The religious flag offered by Gandhi will be hoisted on top of the temple as per the tradition, Ambalia said.
After paying obeisance to Lord Krishna, Gandhi ate snacks with local party leaders at a dining hall near the temple. After that, he left for the venue of the party’s Chintan Shivir. Gandhi is expected to address the party leaders at the brainstorming session.
Notably, Gandhi had visited the Dwarkadhish temple in 2017 as well ahead of the state Assembly polls. PTI COR PJT PD NP NP
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