The BJP’s campaign will feature a mix of senior national and state leaders. Union minister Nitin Gadkari and party national general secretary Shiv Prakash are among the prominent names expected to campaign in the two constituencies.

"I simply said that whenever the festival of Eid comes, no one from the Hindu community pelts stones or causes any trouble. But when the Ram Navami celebrations began, these people did not allow our saffron flag to be hoisted and threw stones at Ram devotees," he said