Lucknow /Ranchi / New Delhi, April 02 (ANI): Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi made a strong appeal to minorities ahead of battle of 2014 general election, pitching to help nurture the cause of "secularism" met Muslim delegation led by Delhi's Jama Masjid Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Wednesday. Politicians hit at Gandhi’s move of meeting the Head cleric of the Jama Masjid ahead of upcoming polls of the world's largest democracy. Attacking Sonia Gandhi, Chief of main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rajnath Singh said that Congress was practicing communal politics. Meanwhile, former SP leader Shahid Siddiqui, criticized Bukhari saying that he was an opportunist and was not bothered for the welfare of Muslim community. Taking a jibe at Sonia Gandhi, Muslim cleric Maulana Khalid Rashid said it would have been in the good taste if such meetings were arranged by Congress in the past and not just ahead of general elections and take note of problems faced by the Muslim across the country.