After sweeping Delhi for the second time, Arvind Kejriwal visited the famous Hanuman temple near Connaught Place. (PTI)

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj has announced that he will organise a ‘paath’ (recitation) of the Sundar Kand — the fifth book in the Ramayana — on the first Tuesday of every month. The event will be organised at different places in his constituency, Greater Kailash. The former AAP minister tweeted the invitation for the first such event scheduled to take place at an ancient Shiva Temple in Chirag Delhi. Composed by Valmiki, Sundar Kand offers a detailed and vivid account of Lord Hanuman’s adventures in Sri Lanka.

Lord Hanuman had become a poll issue when Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had recited Hanuman Chalisa in the run-up to recent assembly polls. The AAP chief had said that he was a devout “Hanuman Bhakt” and regularly visits temples. The political analysts saw it as an effort to counter the BJP. The saffron party too had attacked the AAP leader for making a soft pitch for Hindu votes.

After sweeping Delhi for the second time, Arvind Kejriwal visited the famous Hanuman temple near Connaught Place. He was accompanied by his family and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. On December 11, when the results gave a clear mandate to AAP, Kejriwal aslo credited Lord Hanuman for his victory, which also happened to come on a Tuesday.

Through such acts, Arvind Kejriwal has been trying to project himself as a practicing Hindu who respects every religion. He had successfully avoided the Hindu-Muslim binary during the election campaign and appealed to every section with a report card of works done and a bit of religious colour by indulging in the temple-hopping. Kejriwal allowed Sisodia to extend his support to Shaheen Bagh and also said that he had nothing to do with the protesters as law and order fell under the ambit of the Home Ministry.

The AAP is planning to undertake a major expansion and fight all upcoming local body and assembly polls in every state. Just last week, Gopal Rai had said that his party was eying expansion in the wake of the historic mandate for the second consecutive term. He said that the party would project ‘positive nationalism’.