A heated political clash has emerged between the BJP and Samajwadi Party ahead of Akhilesh Yadav's visit to Ayodhya. Amid accusations of appeasement, Yadav has pledged to transform the city into a global pilgrimage hub if voted into power.
Political Clash Over Ayodhya Visit
A sharp political war of words has broken out between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's scheduled visit to Ayodhya. Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav is scheduled to visit Ayodhya along with his family on December 12.
Taking a swipe at the former Chief Minister over his upcoming visit, BJP leader Pankaj Chaudhary on X accused him of practising appeasement politics and weighing political benefits over faith. "Those who put on a show of devotion to Ram are now weighing themselves on the scales of appeasement. They're so nervous before going to the temple that they're weighing political gains and losses more than faith," Chaudhary posted.
Further targeting the SP chief, Chaudhary added, "Before bowing your head at the temple’s threshold, take a look in the mirror at your own politics. It was always easy to head to Ayodhya; first, repent for your politics of appeasement."
Akhilesh Yadav's Retort
वो उड़ते हुए बस ‘इंतख़ाब’ के वक़्त ही क्यों आते हैं जितना कहते हैं ‘आक़ा’ उतना कहकर चले जाते हैं जो नक़ली ‘ख़ैर-ख़्वाह’ आब की जगह आग लाते हैं जब अपनों पर जुल्म होता है तो कहाँ गुम हो जाते हैं ये तो ‘सियासत के ख़ानाबदोश सौदागर’ कहलाते हैं ये तो उसी हिसाब से ही मुँह खोलते हैं जितना पाते हैं — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 10, 2026
Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav took to X to launch a veiled attack on his critics without naming anyone, referring to them as "nomadic merchants of politics" who only appear during elections. "Why do they come flying only at the time of 'election'? Whatever 'Aqa' (master) says, he says it and goes away. Those fake well-wishers who bring fire instead of water, where do you disappear when your loved ones are oppressed?" the SP chief wrote in a poetic post. "These are called the 'nomadic merchants of politics'. They open their mouths only according to what they get," Yadav added.
Development Pledges for Ayodhya
On Monday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, in a post on X, promised to transform Ayodhya into a "global capital for Sanatan pilgrimage" if his party returns to power, pledging transparent management of the Ram Mandir, world-class infrastructure, revival of the local economy and a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities in land dealings in the temple town.
The SP chief said the number of devotees and pilgrims visiting Ayodhya had been steadily declining, alleging that the distress caused by the 'theft' surrounding the Ram Mandir had directly affected the local economy. "We are committed to restoring the honour and dignity of the city of Ayodhya. The number of devotees and pilgrims visiting Ayodhya has been steadily declining-a trend fueled by the distress caused by the 'theft' surrounding the Ram Mandir-which has directly impacted the local economy.
We will not only rectify this situation but also revitalise the city. By implementing a transparent system for the management of the temple, we will restore public trust. Through the development of world-class infrastructure, we will transform Ayodhya into a 'global capital for Sanatan pilgrimage,' he said.
The promises come amid an intensifying political debate over the irregularities in land dealings at Ram Temple ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The state is set to hold Assembly elections next year, in which the Samajwadi Party eyes a comeback after two consecutive defeats in 2017 and 2022.
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