From Varanasi, Priyanka Gandhi eyes SCs in Delhi

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's visit to Saint Ravidas Temple, which is revered by the Scheduled Castes (SCs), appeared to be aimed at wooing the community in the forthcoming Assembly polls in Delhi. The temple is in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Members of the SC community from different parts of the country as well as abroad throng the temple through the year. Modi had also visited the temple earlier.

Priyanka's visit assumes added significance as not long ago, the BJP Government at the Centre had come under fire from the Congress and the Aam Admi Party (AAP) over the demolition of the Ravidas Temple at Tughlaqabad in Delhi by the Delhi Development Authority.

Thousands of members of the community from different parts of the country had taken to the streets in Delhi in protest against the demolition, following the Supreme Court order.

According to political observers, Priyanka's visit to the Ravidas Temple in Varanasi is "aimed at sending a message to the Scheduled Castes in Delhi".

"Priyanka has tried to win back support of the SCs, not only in UP but also in Delhi," said a political analyst. The Congress had failed to win a single seat in the Delhi Assembly polls in 2014.

Of the 70 Assembly seats in Delhi, as many as 12 are reserved constituencies. "SCs can play a crucial role in these seats," the analyst said.

Delhi goes to the polls on Feb. 8.