The political landscape in Uttar Pradesh has heated up following the announcement of a major religious visit by opposition leadership. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is set to travel to Ayodhya on December 12 alongside his family members. According to the itinerary, he will first visit the sacred Hanuman Garhi temple before proceeding to offer prayers to Lord Ram Lalla. This will mark his very first visit to the temple since the grand consecration ceremony held in January 2024. The announcement was officially shared by party leader and former minister Tej Narayan Pandey, popularly known as Pawan Pandey, who confirmed that he will accompany Akhilesh Yadav and his family throughout the trip. The timing of this scheduled pilgrimage has drawn significant political attention, coming just months ahead of the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
Om Prakash Rajbhar Questions the Visit
Reacting sharply to the news, Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar launched a verbal attack on the opposition leader. Rajbhar questioned the intent behind the visit, recalling past events where he alleged that the Samajwadi Party chief had previously visited Ayodhya holding a trident and a discus while delivering speeches, yet failed to seek the blessings of Lord Ram. He also pointed out a past visit to Varanasi where, according to him, the leader did not perform rituals for Lord Shiva. Taking to social media platform X earlier, Rajbhar had remarked that the sudden decision to visit Ayodhya seemed timed with the approaching elections, and accordingly challenged the leader to announce specific dates for visiting Mathura and काशी as well.
Brajesh Pathak and Awadhesh Prasad Respond
Weighing in on the controversy, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak criticized the opposition stance, stating that everyone is always welcome at temples and visiting a sacred place does not require any formal invitation. Meanwhile, Ayodhya MP and party leader Awadhesh Prasad hit back at the ruling party, highlighting that a grand temple dedicated to Kedareshwar Maharaj is nearing completion in the region as a unique architectural marvel. He explained that following its consecration, the party national president will arrive with his family to seek divine blessings. Prasad asserted that the ruling party leaders are feeling insecure due to the soaring popularity, affection, and trust that ordinary citizens have shown toward Akhilesh Yadav, contrasting it with what he described as a fast-fading public confidence in the current administration.
