Senior Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi on Sunday defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, saying the prime minister is a religious man and there is nothing wrong in his visits to the holy shrines. "PM Modi is a religious man. I do not see anything wrong if he performs his religious rites," said the veteran JD(U) leader.
On Saturday, PM Modi had visited Kedarnath temple to offer his prayers. The prime minister also spent over 15 hours meditating inside a holy cave after completing religious rituals at Kedarnath temple. On Sunday, PM Modi left Kedarnath to visit Badrinath temple, another temple in ''Char Dham'' circuit. It is to be noted that several opposition leaders have slammed PM Modi for visiting these temples alleging him of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).Tyagi also criticised opposition parties for joining hands in order to keep PM Modi out of power. "Anti NDA (National Democratic Alliance) front is divided into two camps. One is lead by the Congress party, while the other by Trinamool Congress (TMC), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)," Tyagi was quoted as saying by ANI.
The JD(U) leader, however, stressed that Narendra Modi is set to return as prime minister and the opposition will not get any chance to form the government at the Centre.Referring to Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's reported recusal from meetings of poll code violation because the poll panel was not recording his minority views, Tyagi said, "Difference within the Election Commission is a symbol of freedom and I welcome it." The veteran JD(U) leader, however, said that it is the duty of all political parties to press for the constitution of an "independent, autonomous and sovereign" Election Commission.