Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel Friday accused the BJP of terming the Congress as a party of "minorities" and said his party respected all religions.
Baghel was in the city to campaign for senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh who is pitted against the BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur, a Malegaon blast accused currently out on bail, and other party candidates.
"The Congress believes in respecting all religions and the party candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat (Digvijaya Singh) for long has been regularly visiting temples. He had even performed the Narmada Yatra by foot," Baghel said.
"It is the BJP which has termed the Congress as a party of minorities," Baghel told reporters here.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, the Chhattisgarh CM said the ruling party was no longer the one it was under former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and veteran leader LK Advani.
He claimed demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) had adversely affected people and the benefit from this public discontent would go to the Congress in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.
Referring to the entry of Bollywood stars into the BJP, he remarked, "Now in the BJP, actors are in the front and its leaders behind."