Assembly Elections 2018 LIVE: Rahul Gandhi Asks What Kind of Hindu is PM Modi, BJP Hits Back

He also told the gathering, "Like during the Narendra Modi government, surgical strike was conducted thrice during Manmohan Singh government. Are you aware of it? Modi actually reached into the Army's domain and shaped surgical strike into a political asset."Hitting out at the Congress, Shah said, "On one hand there is a troop of patriots under leadership of Narendra Modi and on the other hand there is a troop which doesn't have a leader, policy and principles."He also took a dig at Gandhi's party for not declaring its chief ministerial candidate, and wondered how can an "army" win which has not been able to finalise its leader. 

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi took revenge for Army martyrs. Rahul Gandhi is saying that surgical strike was conducted to win Uttar Pradesh election. You insult the martyrs of the country. You could not even show some courage," Shah said at a public meeting in Phalodi town of Jodhpur district in Rajasthan. Addressing a gathering at Udaipur in poll-bound Rajasthan earlier Saturday, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the surgical strike was made public as the BJP was fighting elections in Uttar Pradesh.

BJP chief Amit Shah Saturday alleged that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was insulting slain Army soldiers by claiming that the 2016 surgical strike across the LoC was conducted to win the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. He said that today Army jawans have developed a sense of pride that their government is standing behind them rock solid.

Abhishek Singhvi, Congress on CBI chargesheet against BS Hooda, Motilal Vora & AJL: As polls approach, govt indulges in such acts. 5 yrs are about to get over, they've all powers but do they've any evidence? Their only aim is to use such tools as per convenience during polls. pic.twitter.com/vToxkxa19y

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

Rahul alleged that PM Modi doesn't understand the foundation of Hinduism while he was addressing the business community in Mewar district of Rajasthan. "What is the essence of Hinduism? What does the Gita say? That knowledge is with everybody, knowledge is all around you. Every living being has knowledge. Our PM says he is a Hindu but he doesn't understand foundation of Hinduism. What kind of a Hindu is he?" Rahul Gandhi said. Abhishek Singhvi reacted to Rahul's earlier statement and said, "He is right. I'm a proud Hindu. I don’t think proud Hindus behave as they're being taught to behave by minority of those who claim to be Hindu."

Abhishek Singhvi, Congress on R Gandhi’s statement 'PM says he's Hindu but he doesn't understand Hinduism. What kind of Hindu is he?': He is right. I'm a proud Hindu. I don’t think proud Hindus behave as they're being taught to behave by minority of those who claim to be Hindu. pic.twitter.com/mg7GCtJ7GJ

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

"No one is prohibited to dream, but do we dream in daylight?" said Amit Shah as he took a dig at Rahul Gandhi. 

Amit Shah in Phalodi, Rajasthan: I was coming from Mangalore when I saw on TV that Rahul baba was saying that Congress will form govt in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. As soon as I heard it, I saw if it is day or night. No one is prohibited to dream, but do we dream in daylight? pic.twitter.com/JqVWS7utHi

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

"Congress is staring at a total wipe out this time, as nobody can replace BJP in Rajasthan," Amit Shah said, as he went on to add that soon enough, the name of Congress will be wiped off the entire political landscape of India. "BJP has worked extensively towards the development of people in Rajsthan and everywhere else," he said. 

"BJP'S foothold in Rajasthan is like Angad's foot, it cannot and will not budge," Shah said. He said that Rahul Gandhi seems to have forgotten the polling history of the past four and a half years in Rajasthan, when every single time, the BJP emerged victorious. The crowd erupted in cheers at this point  and chanted Modi's name. Shah is currently addressing a mega rally in Philod district of Jodhpur. 

BJP Chief Amit Shah Addresses Rally in Jodhpur | BJP chief Amit Shah is currently addressing a rally in Phalodi district, Jodhpur ahead of the Assembly election of Rajasthan of December 7. He began the rally by evoking Durgadas Rathore, as he went on to say that the Congress party has no leader or any principles. "Congress is daydreaming if they think they can win the Rajasthan elections," he said. 

Rahul Gandhi picks up from where C P Joshi left. Questions PM’s Hinduism implying he is someone from lower caste and unworthy of holding the high constitutional office or even commenting on Hinduism!

It also establishes that all personal attacks on PM are sanctioned by Rahul. https://t.co/GVpfSpwgnU

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 1, 2018

Rajasthan BSP Candidate Dies | Weeks before polling, BSP candidate in Alwar district's Ramgarh constituency in Rajasthan died of cardiac arrest two days ago. Following the death of Laxman Singh, 62, elections will now take place in 199 out of the total 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan. "BSP candidate Laxman Singh died Thursday morning. Elections are postponed on death of any candidate and next date of election on the seat will be notified by the Election Commission of India," Pankaj Kumar, returning officer of Ramgarh said.

Manvendra Singh, who crossed over from the BJP to the Congress just weeks before joining the electoral fray, said when he was asked to fight against the chief minister, it took him just seconds to accept the challenge.

Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot has accused the BJP of raking up the mandir-masjid debate 10 days before the elections as they have nothing to show in terms of their work. Pilot, who is being seen as the CM face by many, accused Vasundhara Raje government of being corrupt and not having acted swiftly on the anti-social elements. He went on to say that nobody knew the word lynching four years ago and that CM vasundhara Raje failed to act on the matter. Sachin Pilot, who was in conversation with CNN-News18's Zeba Warsi, exuded confidence that the next CM will be from the Congress. He said CM Vasundhara will have to pay for her actions and the campaigns by PM Modi and Amit Shah will not be able to save her. 

BJP Trying to Incite Caste Conflicts in Marwar: Congress | Congress header Harish Choudhary has alleged the BJP is trying to incite caste conflicts in the Marwar region of Rajasthan and asserted voters will discard the ruling party's "politics of emotion" in the state assembly polls. He also said the Congress, if voted to power, will ensure that every section of the society lives in harmony. Talking to PTI, the Congress national secretary and the party's manifesto committee head for Rajasthan said, "The BJP has tried to incite caste violence in Rajasthan. They play politics with the people's emotions, whereas, the Congress talks about real issues. People will discard this kind of politics by the BJP." He said the Congress rather believes in working to unite the society.

Take a look at the pictures of Congress President Rahul Gandhi from his visit to various religious places.

Congress has given ticket to Divya Maderna, Mahipal's daughter, from the Jat-dominated Osian constituency. In 2013, Divya's mother, Leela Maderna was fielded from the same seat but she had lost to the BJP's Bhera Ram Siyol. Malkhan Singh Bishnoi's son Mahendra Bishnoi has been given a ticket from Luni, which is also dominated by the Jat community. Mahendra's grandmother Amri Devi had contested from Luni last time but she had lost to BJP's Jogaram Patel. The 199 seats of the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly go to polls on December 7 and results will be declared on December 11.

On the other side, BJP has repeated all its sitting legislators in the nine seats it had won last time. On the one seat the saffron party lost last time, Gehlot's Sardarpura, the party has again fielded the candidate who had fought against the Congress heavyweight five years ago. BJP has pitted Shambu Singh Khetasar opposite Gehlot, who was defeated in the 2013 election by 18,478 votes. Khetasar is the chairman of the State Seed Corporation and enjoys a ministerial status in the current BJP government.

As poll campaign gains momentum in Rajasthan, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot's home turf Jodhpur is bracing for an interesting fight with the Congress putting all its efforts on 10 seats of the district, of which the BJP had swept nine in the last assembly elections in 2013. The Congress has given tickets to eight new candidates, while retaining Gehlot from Sardarpura and Hira Ram from the Bilada constituency.

What Kind of Hindu is Modi? Asks Rahul Gandhi | Further attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi asked what kind of 'Hindu' is the PM as "he doesn't understand the foundation of Hinduism".

R Gandhi in Rajasthan: What is the essence of Hinduism? What does the Gita say? That knowledge is with everybody, knowledge is all around you. Every living being has knowledge. Our PM says he is a Hindu but he doesn't understand foundation of Hinduism. What kind of a Hindu is he? pic.twitter.com/5F0WclZvdW

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

Rahul Gandhi Will Maintain Record of Getting Zero: BJP Minister | Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday said the Congress president will maintain his record of returning to pavilion without scoring even in Rajasthan. The BJP leader said his party is confident of winning the state assembly elections and it was benefitting from the "infighting" within the Congress for chief ministerial post. Talking on his campaign trail in Pokhran, Shekhawat said, "Muttiah Muralitharan (former Sri Lankan bowler) used to get out at zero after batting at number ten but Rahul Gandhi scores nothing even after playing as an opener”. "He (Gandhi) will get out at zero in Rajasthan as well. He will maintain his record here," the minister said drawing a cricket analogy.

A team of researchers at the media centre tells BJP spokespersons and panelists on how to say and what to say on air, and if someone fumbles, they're advised corrective measures.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is convinced he knows better than the Army what needs to be done in the force. He feels that he knows better than the foreign minister what needs to be done in foreign ministry, better than agriculture minister what needs to be done in agriculture because he has a sense that all knowledge comes from his brain," Congress president Rahul Gandhi says in Udaipur.

Top Congress Leaders in Fray in Rajasthan | While two-time Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is contesting from his traditional Sardarpura seat, Sachin Pilot is in the fray from Tonk. The party has also fielded former Union ministers CP Joshi and Girija Vyas for the Nathdwara and Udaipur Assembly seats, respectively.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned military asset into a political asset.

R Gandhi in Udaipur, Rajasthan: Do you know that like Mr Narendra Modi's surgical strike, Manmohan Singh ji did that 3 times? When Army came to Mr Manmohan Singh&said we need to retaliate against Pak for what they've done they also said we wanted to be secret,for our own purposes pic.twitter.com/t4lpJC5kti

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

Rahul Gandhi in Udaipur, Rajasthan: What the Army would have liked was we'll do it, it's beneficial if nobody knows we did it. But Mr Modi didn't want that. He was fighting an election in UP & he was losing it. So he did it to turn a military asset into a political asset.

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

Manmohan Singh Did Surgical Strikes 3 Times, Rahul Gandhi | Congress president Rahul Gandhi says in Udaipur that surgical strikes done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was carried out by Manmohan Singh three times. "Mr Narendra Modi actually reached into Army's domain & shaped their surgical strike, he turned their surgical strike into a political asset when it actually was a military decision," he says.