Rahul Gandhi in Ayodhya, stays away from Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site

Lucknow: In an unprecedented move, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Friday offered prayers at Hanuman Garhi temple ​in Ayodhya, becoming the first member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to visit Ayodhya since the demolition of the disputed structure in 1992 Babri demolition.

Hanuman Garhi temple is about a kilometre away from the Ram Temple at the disputed Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site.

The Gandhi scion also met Mahant Gyan Das. Notably, Das is a vocal critic of Vishwa Hindu Parshad, which has long advocated for a grand Ram temple to be built in Ayodhya.

Interestingly, the Amethi MP stayed away from the site of 'shilanyas', the foundation stone that had been laid there in 1989 for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

After his brief visit to Hanuman Garhi temple, Rahul tried to play a balancing act by visiting the Kichaucha Sharif Dargah, a Muslim shrine in Ambedkar Nagar.

Some political analysts are seeing Rahul's visit as a soft Hindutva agenda to counter the Narendra Modi-powered Bharatiya Janata Party.

Keeping the caste factor in mind, the Congress has announced Sheila Dikhsit, a Brahmin face, as its chief ministerial candidate for the high-voltage Uttar Pradesh Elections 2017.

The Congress vice president will later hold a road show in Faizabad.

Rahul's every move is being decided by master poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been roped by the Congress to bring back its golden days in the Hindi heartland.

The Congress vice president Rahul on Thursday said if his party forms government in UP it will representation from all section of society in the state.

"Though Sheila Dikshit is the chief ministerial candidate of the party in the state, I can assure you that when Congress party distributes tickets for the Assembly polls, people from all religion and castes will find a place", Rahul said in a "khaat sabha" in Gonda on the third day of his 'Deoria to Dilli' yatra.

"We will not form the government of any one caste but that of all the castes ..It will be a government which is that of farmers, labourers and all those who have problems in life, don't forget this fact", Gandhi assured.