Rahul Gandhi begins three-day trip to Gujarat with visit to Somnath temple [Photos]

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday began his three-day Gujarat tour by paying a visit to Somnath Temple in Gir Somnath district. This was Rahul’s visit trip to Gujarat after the assembly polls results were announced in the state on Monday. PTI

The Congress leader landed at Keshod Airport in Saurashtra and offered prayers at the temple which is about 420 km from the state capital. PTI

Rahul had visited the Somnath temple during the recent election campaign and his name was found written on the entry register meant for non-Hindus, kicking up a row. The Congress had called it "fake" and the BJP insisted that the leader declare his religious faith before people. PTI

The Congress chief later held zone-wise "introspection meetings" in Ahmedabad to ascertain reasons for the party's defeat. "You fought very well. We managed to 'gherao' the BJP, as you could see that they were not able to give a reply to our questions," Rahul told party workers. PTI

Rahul claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much-talked-about Gujarat development model was debunked during the polls. He alleged Modi and the BJP ran a campaign of "lies and defamation" over the last two decades and it was the "main reason" for the Congress's defeat in the polls. AP

Rahul met newly elected Congress MLAs, defeated candidates and district unit presidents to elicit their views on the results. The reasons cited by the leaders included the late declaration of candidates, lack of management at the local level and lack of state-level coordination, party sources said. PTI