India
oi-Ashish Rana
A political face-off over Ayodhya intensified on Sunday after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav responded to Yogi Adityanath’s invitation to contest the Assembly elections from the constituency. Yadav asserted that SP leader Pawan Pandey was enough to challenge the BJP’s position in the state.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav responded to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s Ayodhya election challenge by stating SP candidate Pawan Pandey is sufficient. Yadav questioned Adityanath’s authority to issue tickets and cited the BJP’s recent defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, preceding the upcoming UP Assembly elections.
Speaking to the media at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre in Lucknow, where he garlanded the statue of Jayaprakash Narayan, Yadav questioned Adityanath’s remarks and said the chief minister should first ensure his own candidature was confirmed.
Akhilesh Yadav Targets Yogi Adityanath Over Ayodhya Challenge
“The arrogant people will be blown away by the wind of our ‘Pawan’. Whose ticket was finalised first? It was Pawan Pandey from Ayodhya. The wind of Pawan will not spare this arrogant government,” Yadav said.
He also questioned whether a chief minister had the authority to distribute election tickets, arguing that Adityanath himself had to secure his nomination from the BJP.
“Get your own ticket confirmed, then challenge me,” the SP chief said.
Yadav further alleged that Adityanath had not been a BJP member before becoming chief minister and contrasted his rise with the efforts of party workers.
Yogi Adityanath Invites Akhilesh Yadav To Contest From Ayodhya
The exchange follows Adityanath’s challenge to Yadav during a public meeting in Balrampur on Saturday. The chief minister invited the SP chief to contest from Ayodhya and said he would also consider entering the electoral contest from the constituency.
“Akhilesh ji, Ayodhya is our sacred abode. I visit Ayodhya repeatedly to ensure there is no lapse in its development and the identity of Uttar Pradesh is not tarnished in any way. It is a centre of our faith and devotion. We go there not to contest elections, but for its development,” Adityanath had said.
“I invite you to file your nomination from Ayodhya. I will also try my luck there once. The fight should be face-to-face,” he added.
Adityanath currently represents the Gorakhpur Urban Assembly constituency in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Pawan Pandey And PDA Prahari In SP’s Response
Responding to the challenge earlier, Yadav posted on X, “Pawan ka jhonka aayega, ahankar sab ud jayega” (A gust of wind will come and sweep away all arrogance).
Referring to Pawan Pandey, the SP chief described him as a young “PDA Prahari” (guardian of PDA) and said he would be enough to challenge those accused of stealing offerings, donations and contributions in Ayodhya.
“Those who give a clean chit to thieves are actually their accomplices,” Yadav said. He also alleged that women in Ayodhya would respond to those who had insulted a grieving mother in public.
SP Recalls Faizabad Victory In 2024 Lok Sabha Elections
Yadav also referred to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, questioning whether the BJP had learnt lessons from its defeat in the Faizabad constituency, which includes Ayodhya.
Samajwadi Party candidate Awadhesh Prasad defeated BJP candidate Lallu Singh in the constituency during the general elections.
Adityanath, meanwhile, criticised the previous Samajwadi Party government’s record on Ayodhya’s development. He alleged that the city had received only three to four hours of electricity and faced sanitation problems under the SP government. He also accused the previous government of restricting Ramlila performances and erecting barricades in the city.
“The same Ayodhya is today writing a new chapter of development while giving shape to a new concept of Ram Rajya,” Adityanath had said.
The political exchange comes ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, scheduled for early next year.
