UK PM contender Rishi Sunak performs cow worship in London

British prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak was seen performing a "Gau Puja" (cow worship) in London last weekend.

Sunak had gone to a cow enclosure in the city along with his wife Akshata Murthy. The couple could be seen offering prayers to the cow in a video that has gone viral on social media.

He could be seen holding a brass vessel and offering holy water to a cow, which is seen as an auspicious animal by Indians.

The latest religious visit from Sunak comes days after he visited the Bhaktivedanta Manor on the outskirts of London to celebrate the festival of Janmashtami, the day Lord Krishna was born as per Hindu mythology.

The manor, in an Instagram post, shared pictures from the day and recalled how Sunak spoke about Bhagavad Gita giving him the strength needed to face challenging times in life.

Sunak, an Indian-origin MP of Richmond (Yorks) was the finance minister in Boris Johnson's cabinet. He had resigned in opposition to a series of government scandals, prompting others to follow and Johnson to step down.

He has been seen visiting temples and performing Indian rituals since launching the campaign to become the next prime minister. He launched his campaign with a video that talks about his Indian heritage and his life in the UK. He has been applauded by many for embracing his roots.

The race to elect Boris Johnson's successor has narrowed down to Sunak and current foreign minister Liz Truss.

Truss became MP for the South West Norfolk constituency in eastern England in 2010. Since then, she has held a number of ministerial posts in the education, finance and other departments.

Several reports have claimed that Liz Truss is leading the prime ministerial race against Rishi Sunak, who has been accused of treachery and causing Johnson's downfall. He had also come under fire after it came to light that his wife did not pay UK tax.

Sunak is an Oxford University graduate and attended the prestigious boarding school, Winchester College. He has also been accused of being out of touch with the ordinary public because of his wealth and expensive taste.