Man holding shoe walks towards Nitin Gadkari; beaten up by supporters

Karad was wearing khadi trousers and most in the audience thought it was a clash between policemen and party workers over making way for Gadkari as he sought to mount the stage. Before Gadkari arrived, police had urged the organisers to vacate the path leading to the dais, but a large group remained there.

At the rally, Gadkari accused the Congress and the NCP of communalism and sectarianism to secure votes. He said neither party has a performance report to present and is therefore using divisive tactics.

“Congress-NCP introduced reservation for Marathas and promised the same for Dhangars,” he said, adding Congress always tried to woo the Muslim community, but in its regime the community members could only get “menial’ jobs.

“The Congress never had a vision of development for this country and banked on dynastic politics. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru gave a call for eradication of poverty years ago and his descendant Rahul Gandhi is still stuck to the same appeal. Where is the uplift of the poor in so many years?”