Uddhav camp taunts BJP over Ayodhya buzz, says may declare Lord Ram as candidate | Latest News India

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party over the politicization of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, saying the only thing left for the BJP is to announce Lord Ram as their candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Raut’s remarks came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the riverside town of Uttar Pradesh, where he is scheduled to launch several mega projects.

“Now, the only thing left is that the BJP will announce that Lord Ram will be their candidate for the elections. So much politics is being done in the name of Lord Ram,” Raut, known for his no-holds-barred comments, told reporters.

Raut earlier said the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 was a “BJP event” and not a national one.

Responding to a query on whether Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray would take part in the idol consecration ceremony, he said, “Thackeray will definitely go but only after the BJP’s event gets over. Why should one go to a BJP event? It is not a national event. The BJP is holding rallies and campaigning a lot for this function but where is the purity in it.”

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate projects totalling ₹11,000 crore in Ayodhya, including a new airport and revamped railway station ahead of the consecration ceremony of the long-anticipated temple in January. The airport, whose facade will mirror temple architecture, has been developed in anticipation of an increase in tourism to the city, according to a government statement.

Ayodhya has undergone a facelift over the past few years as authorities widened roads and built bridges and highways ahead of an anticipated influx of Hindu pilgrims.

“Our government is committed to developing international-standard infrastructure, improving connectivity and revamping civic facilities while confirming the rich history and heritage of Lord Shri Ram’s Ayodhya,” Modi said in a post on X.