File photo of Narendra Modi.
campaigns today in Amethi, the home turf of
Rahul Gandhi, the Congress vice-president, who is fronting his party's bid for an unlikely third successive term in power.
"Modi's campaign in Amethi would have absolutely no impact," said Union External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who also opined that a poster he has seen for Mr Modi depicts the BJP leader like Gabbar Singh, the legendary villain of Bollywood blockbuster Sholay.
Bluster notwithstanding, Mr Modi's arrival in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh indicates that this is not battle-as-usual. Top-level politicians usually do not campaign in each other's constituencies. Amethi has been a Gandhi stronghold for decades- it has been represented by Rahul's father, Rajiv; his mother, Sonia; and his uncle, Sanjay. But this time, Mr Gandhi, 43, is caught in a tough contest. The BJP has placed actor-politician
Smriti Irani against him. And
Arvind Kejriwal has chosen Kumar Vishwas, professor and poet, to represent the fledgling Aam Aadmi Party. (
Full Coverage: India Votes 2014)
Opinion polls agree that Mr Modi, 64, will lead the BJP to the maximum seats, and that the Congress is placed dangerously close to a humiliating defeat.
Amethi votes on May 7. Mr Modi's constituency of Varanasi -where he takes on Mr Kejriwal -is up next on May 12.
Mr Khurshid of the Congress said a poster for Mr Modi that vows, "
Modi Aane Wala Hai (Modi's arrival is imminent)", which he spotted in Varanasi, reminded him of the character of Gabbar Singh, the dacoit and iconic bad-guy from Sholay.