New Delhi [India], May 4 : Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Porbandar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday hailed party workers and likened them to "God".
"Party workers are like God for BJP and me. I am also a worker of BJP," said Mandaviya.
Lauding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government, he said, "Due to our hard work, a government has been formed that works day and night for 5 years for the development of the poor, backward, farmers, women, and youth. Salute to your hard work."
Earlier in the day, Mandaviya held a 'Prabhat Pheri' in his constituency on Saturday early morning as part of his election campaign.
Speaking to ANI after the 'Prabhat Pheri' in Murakhada village of Porbandar, Mandaviya said, "'Prabhat Pheri' is our ancient system of waking up early in the morning and doing 'bhajan-kirtan' and going around the village is a traditional thing. This system has been our lifestyle. I visit the villages early in the morning as part of my election campaign."
Notably, Mandaviya is pitted against Congress' Lalit Vasoya, a former MLA who comes from the Patidar community, in the battle for the Porbandar Lok Sabha seat. BJP candidate Mansukh Mandaviya, before becoming a Rajya Sabha member, was elected an MLA from the Palitana assembly seat of Bhavnagar in 2002.
A total of 12 candidates are in the fray for the Porbandar Lok Sabha seat and around 17,94,000 voters will decide their fate.
Voting for 25 out of 26 seats in Gujarat is set to take place in the third phase of the ongoing general elections on May 7.
However, voting will not take place in Surat as BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared elected unopposed last week. This decision came after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected, and other candidates withdrew from the contest.
The election results will be announced on June 4.