Rahul Gandhi in poll-bound Gujarat; offers prayers at Dwarkadhish temple

DWARKA: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday offered prayers at the Dwarkadhish temple before starting his three-day campaign in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat where the Assembly polls are due later this year.

After his arrival at the Mithapur airstrip near here, Gandhi went straight to the famous Dwarkadhish temple to offer prayers. He was accompanied by Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki and state party in-charge Ashok Gehlot.

The Patel quota agitation leader, Hardik Patel, welcomed Rahul Gandhi to Gujarat with a tweet.

"Congress ke rashtriya upadhyaksh Rahulji ka Gujarat mae hardik swagat hai..Jay Shri Krishna (a warm welcome to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat...)," Hardik tweeted.

Several wooden cots were arranged at Hanjrapar, so that Gandhi and other leaders could have a dialogue with villagers.

On his way from Dwarka to Jamnagar city during the day, Gandhi addressed the public at different locations and interact with locals, farmers and fishermen.

In Jamnagar, Gandhi is also scheduled to hold a meeting with traders and business community, a Gujarat Congress release said.

On Tuesday, Gandhi will cover towns such as Dhrol and Tankara by road before reaching Rajkot. He is also scheduled to meet local milk producers as well as cooperative leaders.

He will interact with traders and businessmen at Hemu Gandhvi hall in Rajkot tomorrow evening.

On September 27, he will cover Chotila, Jasdan, Virpur, Jetpur and other towns before concluding his campaign at Khodal Dham at Kagvad village.

Party sources said Gandhi is expected to campaign in north, central and south Gujarat at later dates as part of the party's poll campaign ahead of the assembly elections slated to be held later this year.