CM Yogi, Speaker Lead Congress, BSP, RLD MLAs to Ayodhya Temple in Buses, SP Absent, Ramji Ki Nikli Sawari

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and MLCs, along with those from the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), traveled to the temple town on Sunday as part of a tour to Ayodhya hosted by Uttar Pradesh Speaker Satish Mahana. However, MLAs for the Samajwadi Party (SP) continued to stand out due to their absence after the trip skipped by party president Akhilesh Yadav.

The MLAs were escorted by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Mahana to the Ram Temple complex, with the CM traveling from Pune to Ayodhya via plane. Mahana drove the ten busses carrying the MLAs from Lucknow to Ayodhya. Mahana was accompanied on the journey by Congress MLA Aradhana Mishra Mona, BSP MLA Umashankar Singh, and RLD MLAs.

During Saturday’s assembly, Yadav had informed the Speaker, “I won’t go to Ayodhya on your invitation.” When Ram Lalla calls, I’ll go. I’ll do Shiv Aradhana first, and then my whole family and I shall go to Ayodhya.”

According to sources, if Yadav decides to go, all SP MLAs would travel to Ayodhya, which has angered the Uttar Pradesh government. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya of the BJP also expressed disapproval at the absence of SP MLAs, stating, “Joh Ram Ka Nahin, Woh Kisi Ka Nahin…these are the people who had ordered opening fire on Ram bhakts in 1990.”

Along with other SP MLAs, Mahana stated he had invited Yadav, but he regrettably declined. Yadav has already turned down the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha event on January 22.

Together with the MLAs, the CM and Speaker will go to Ayodhya to visit the Ram Temple complex and the Hanumangarhi temple. There, they will spend more than four hours receiving the blessings of Ram Lalla and eating bhog for lunch at the temple complex.

The UP MLAs’ and Cabinet’s visit, which was originally scheduled for February 1, was rescheduled for February 11 due to the high volume of pilgrims visiting the temple complex.

The BJP is launching a political assault on Yadav ahead of the Lok Sabha elections for turning down two invitations to visit the Ram Temple.