Rahul Gandhi may visit as many temples, but the BJP will remain the original pro-Hindutva party, this was the message conveyed to the Congress on Saturday, albeit in fewer words.

It was Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who while addressing the media in Surat on Saturday, taunted the Congress vice-president. Without taking Gandhi's name, Jaitley said, “BJP has always been seen as a pro-Hindutva party so if an original is available why one would prefer a clone?”

The statement came days after a political controversy erupted over Gandhi's 'non-Hindu' entry in famed Somnath Temple.

The Congress had to come out in defence of their leader. The party clarified that there was just one register where their leader had signed and that the viral photo is nothing but a malicious propaganda. The party in fact said that Rahul Gandhi was a 'janeu-dhari Brahmin'.

While the Somnath Temple row may have brought Gandhi's religion into focus, Jaitley's Saturday comments show that the BJP is still ahead in its game.

Upbeat over the bumper mandate in the Uttar Pradesh civic polls, the BJP is looking for a strong performance in PM Narendra Modi's home state.

Jaitley also said that “Gujarat is a very important region for BJP because we have been winning and serving here more than two decades.”

Talking about the two decade rule, Jaitley said, “During 80s politics of social polarisation was rampant here. The region got rid of that under BJP government and we have been constantly trying to take it on the path to development.”

“The 10 years of governance before (Narendra) Modi Ji's government was the most corrupt government we have ever seen. It was a leaderless government. It was said that the then PM is a PM in office but not in power,” Jaitley said while slamming the Congress rule both in Gujarat and at the Centre.

“Foreign Investments had completely stopped at a point in India. Today we have come up by 42 positions in the World ranking of Ease of doing business,” he added.

“In 1990s the reforms were taken under compulsion but the government under PM Modi is undertaking the reforms by conviction,” Jaitley said.

“While BJP has maintained its credibility, Congress is slowly becoming extinct,” he added.

“The results haven't been out yet and they have already started making excuses for their defeat,” Jaitley said on EVM tampering in Gujarat.