Rahul Gandhi visits another temple in Gujarat - see pics

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s visits to temples in Gujarat continue unabated despite controversies and politics over Ram temple issue in the run up to the Assembly elections.

On Sunday, the Gandhi scion visited Shree Ranchhodji temple in Dakor area of Kheda district in Gujarat.

The temple visit by the Congress leaders comes ahead of a series of rallies he is slated to address on Sunday.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address rallies at Kheda, Banaskantha, Aravali and Gandhinagar. His schedule also includes offering of prayers at Shamlaji Temple.

CVP Rahul Gandhi kicks off a glorious Gujarat Sunday by seeking blessings at Dakor's Ranchhodji Temple, Kheda. #NavsarjanWithCongress pic.twitter.com/u0YolWxshP

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 10, 2017

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has targeted Rahul Gandhi over his visits to temples in Gujarat.

His visit to Somnath temple was embroiled in a controversy over an entry purportedly made in a register meant for non-Hindus. It had triggered war of words between the BJP and the Congress with the former questioning his religion and the latter releasing photographs to prove he is Hindu. Responding to this, Rahul Gandhi had said that his family members were disciples of lord Shiva.

With the end of the first phase of polling on Saturday, over 68 percent turnout was recorded for 89 Assembly seats in poll-bound Gujarat. There were reports of malfunctioning of EVM machines in several areas, amid ongoing polling.

The main contenders are the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is making a bid for a fifth term and the Congress which is attempting an electoral revival.

Both the parties will carry out campaigns on Sunday for the second phase, scheduled for December 14. The second phase of voting for the high-stakes election will be held for the remaining 93 seats. 

On Saturday, a total of 977 candidates were in the fray and around 2.12 crore voters were expected to exercise their franchise in the first phase.

Gujarat has 182 assembly constituencies. The counting of votes will take place on December 18.