MP: Rahul Gandhi visits Pitambara Peeth, seeks blessings before roadshow

DATIA: On the sixth day of Navratri, Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched his two-day campaign and roadshows in the Chambal region of the state after offering puja at the Pitambara Peeth on Monday morning. It is believed that goddess Pitambara is destroyer of enemies and during the Indo-China war of 1962 former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nahru organized an 11-day ‘Yajna’ at the temple.
Former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi also offered their prayers at this temple decades ago.Addressing the party’s
public meeting at Datia, MP from Guna and state Congress election committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “Today, the third generation Gandhi family has come here to this auspicious and holy soil to take blessings of Maa Pitambara. Previously, Indiraji and Rajivji came here.
Following Mahatma Gandhi’s principles, the Congress president will fight till he has not wiped the last tear from the eyes of the last poor man.”
The Congress’ show of strength was concentrated in Datia (seat of minister for water resources Narottam Mishra) and especially Gwalior – area of Scindia’s influence. In the evening, Rahul Gandhi went on an 8 km long roadshow through Gwalior city which is presently represented in all its three constituencies by ministers in Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet. Gwalior city’s MLAs are cabinet ministers Maya Singh, Jaibhan Singh Pavaiyya and minister of state Narayan Kushwaha. Gwalior Lok Sabha seat is represented by Union minister for rural development Narendra Singh Tomar.
Where there are so many BJP stalwarts, the Congress’ only prominent face in Datia-Gwalior is Jyotiraditya Scindia. Datia and Gwalior are only two of the eight districts of Chambal division. There are 34 assembly seats in the Chambal and in 2013 BJP secured 20 while Congress got 12. The BSP won two seats in Morena district which is also part of this division.
Rahul started his roadshow after offering prayers at the Achaleshwar Mahadeva temple. The road show with Rahul Gandhi, PCC chief Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia perched on a bus moved from the temples areas through the congested alleys of Dalbazar Road, Nayabazar, Maharaj Bazar, Ram Mandir area, Shinde Ki Chavni and concluded at Phool Bagh Maidan where the Congress national president addressed a public meeting – third in the day.
Just before Rahul Gandhi reached the Achaleshwar temple, a group of SAPAKS workers were waiting to show black-flags to him. They were, however, arrested and whisked away in police vans before the AICC president’s arrival.