Cong candidate Indranil Rajyaguru performs prayer with help of '51 pandits' to get success in Gujarat Assembly polls 2017

New Delhi: Giving an example of full faith in the almighty, Congress party's candidate Indranil Rajyaguru has performed prayer with the help of 51 pandits so that he can win in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections 2017. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is contesting against Congress’ Indranil Rajyaguru from Rajkot-West seat. Polling for first phase has started on 8 am on Saturday. After a campaign that often turned vituperative, around 2.12 crore voters would be exercising their franchise in Modi's home state to choose between the ruling BJP and the Congress. A total of 977 candidates are in fray for the first phase polls. Prominent candidates for today's battle include Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who is contesting from Rajkot (West), and Congress' Shaktisinh Gohil (Mandvi) and Paresh Dhanani (Amreli). The election is viewed as a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a litmus test for the leadership of soon-to-be Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. The campaign shaped up as a duel between Modi and Gandhi, and often turned personal. The poll narrative kept changing with issues such as the Ayodhya title suit, Gandhi's imminent elevation as Congress president and his visits to temples being raised by BJP leaders. Gandhi emerged as the Congress' pivot to take on the might of the prime minister on his home turf. While Modi addressed about 15 rallies, Gandhi spent more than seven days in Saurashtra and south Gujarat, addressing a number of meetings. (With inputs from PTI)