Amit Shah on Sunday offered prayers at Shri Ambabai Mahalaxmi Temple in Maharashtra's Kolhapur

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday offered prayers at Shri Ambabai Mahalaxmi Temple in poll-bound Maharashtra's Kolhapur city.

Mr Shah is in Maharashtra for campaigning for the assembly elections which are scheduled to be held on October 21. The counting of votes will take place on October 24.

While addressing a gathering at the Tapovan school ground in the city, Mr Shah said that no other Prime Minister except Narendra Modi has the courage to scrap provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

"No other Prime Minister had the courage to abrogate Article 370. Many governments came. Many Prime Ministers came but no one showed courage. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a 56-inch chest who showed the courage to abrogate Article 370," he said.

The BJP is contesting 164 seats while the Shiv Sena has fielded 124 candidates. As many as 14 candidates of smaller parties are contesting the assembly polls on the BJP's lotus symbol.