Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi gave an interview to GSTV on the key issues of ongoing state elections, which was broadcasted by the channel after during the election code of conduct period on Wednesday.

Addressing a day-long workshop organised by the Congress' women's wing here, Rahul told the Centre that his party would not leave it with any choice in the matter.

Taking exception to the interview, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has urged the Election Commission to take action against code of conduction violation.

"We pay homage to those who laid down their lives protecting the temple of our democracy on December 13, 2001. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten," the prime minister tweeted after the event.

Top leaders from the two parties criss-crossed the regions going to polls on December 14 and addressed a number of rallies where they pulled out all stops to woo the voters.

Social activist Anna Hazare On Tuesday said he hoped that no Arvind Kejriwal emerged from his movement again.

Yogi Adityanath asked Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi to make it clear whether he wants a Ram Temple in Ayodhya or not.

The second and final phase of elections, for which the open campaigning ended at 5 pm, will see 93 assembly seats spread across 14 districts in north and central Gujarat going to polls.

At a news briefing here, Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Rahul Gandhi of playing soft-Hindutva card to appease the Hindu population of the state. He asked to come clean on the issue of Ayodhya.

The Congress leader also took on those who raised eyebrows over his visits to temples in Gujarat, wondering if it was wrong to pray for the well-being of people of the state.

"After the first phase voting in the state (December 9), we are confident that we are going to form the government here," the Gandhi scion said.

"Thank you for your good wishes Modi ji", the Gandhi scion said after PM Modi congratulated his political bete noire Rahul on his election as the new Congress president and wished him a fruitful tenure.

The second and final phase of polling in 93 Assembly seats will be held on December 14. Counting of votes for the keenly contested Gujarat election is scheduled for December 18.

In Patna, Congress workers led by acting state chief Kaukab Qadri distributed sweets while those in other state units also hailed Rahul Gandhi's unopposed election as the party chief.

Taking potshots at Gandhi's unopposed election to Congress Part President post, the BJP leader said, "As Rahul Gandhi gains new heights, Congress keeps falling."

The PM’s congratulatory message came on a day when a huge row broke out over his insinuation yesterday that his predecessor Manmohan Singh was colluding with Pakistan in influencing the Gujarat polls.

Rahul Gandhi's remark came in the wake of Modi's accusation that a group of Congress leaders met Pakistan's High Commissioner at party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's residence in New Delhi, before the latter called him (Modi) "neech".

A poster of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi with Salman Nizami, who BJP claims is a member of the Congress party, emerged on the streets of Ahmedabad on Sunday.

The Congress party today named 47-year-old Rahul Gandhi as the new president of the party. However, the official elevation of the Gandhi scion to the top post will be done on December 16.