Priyanka Gandhi in Varanasi: Cong leader reaches PM Modi's home turf, slams BJP for 'attacking institutions'

Varanasi: Political temperatures are expected to soar in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday as Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi reached Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency. Varanasi is the last leg in Priyanka’s three-day trip to Uttar Pradesh which saw her embarking on a boat ride from Prayagraj, attending the Ganga Aarti at the Sangam and visiting temples and dargahs as she made her way to Varanasi.

During her trip in Varanasi on Thursday, Priyanka is expected to offer prayers at Sheetla Mandir and interact with women groups, visit the house of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri in Ramnagar, stop at the Assi Ghat, offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple and take the steamer ride to the Dashashwamedh Ghat. Priyanka, the AICC General Secretary of Uttar Pradesh (East), is scheduled to reach the Congress office in Varanasi and celebrate Holi with the party workers.

*Responding to Prime Minister's blog in which he attacked Congress for dynastic politics, Priyanka said that it was the BJP that had attacked the institutions and that the people of the country were "not fools." She said, "The biggest casualty of dynastic politics are institutions': "BJP has systematically attacked every institution in last 5 years including the media. PM should stop thinking people are fools and understand that they see through this."

*Priyanka began her three-day Ganga yatra from Prayagraj on March 18, kick-starting the poll campaign for upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.

*On Tuesday, she offered prayers at Vindhyavasini temple in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district. She also wrote a note after her visit, which reads, “Aaj yahan aakar, apne purvajon ke pando se milkar aur sab ki shraddha ka ehsas hote hue mujhe bohot khushi hui... Jai Mata Di (I am extremely happy after coming here today, and meeting our ancestral priests and seeing everyone's faith. Jai Mata Di)."

*During her Mirzapur visit, she hit out at the BJP government saying, “They talk about nationalism, is there anyone who's not a patriot? You all are a patriot and you'll teach ones a lesson whose patriotism is limited to a campaign.”

During her three-day journey, Priyanka is set to cover a distance of over 140 km through four districts of the state -- Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi.