CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has challenged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to contest the upcoming 2027 Assembly elections from Ayodhya, intensifying political exchanges ahead of the state polls.
Yadav made the remarks on October 8 while addressing a gathering at a Shrimad Bhagwat Katha organised at the residence of SP leader Tej Narayan Pandey, popularly known as Pawan Pandey, who has been announced as the party’s candidate from the Ayodhya Assembly constituency.
Yadav claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was conducting repeated surveys but was trailing in its assessments and had yet to finalise a candidate for Ayodhya. He challenged Adityanath to contest from the constituency if the Chief Minister was confident of the party’s position. These statements reflected the SP leader’s political claims and were not independently established findings.
The SP chief also referred to allegations concerning donations collected for the Ram temple and criticised the handling of the issue. He said voters would hold those responsible for alleged misuse of religious donations accountable. The allegations remain a matter of political dispute.
During the visit, Yadav also spoke about his plan to visit the Ram temple with party colleagues after the completion of the Kedareshwar Mahadev temple project in Saifai, Etawah. His comments came amid political debate over religious symbolism and the role of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh politics.
Ayodhya remains an important constituency in the state’s political landscape, particularly following the construction and inauguration of the Ram temple. The exchange between the SP and BJP leaders adds to the political activity ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The BJP has not been reported as accepting Yadav’s challenge, and Adityanath’s candidacy from Ayodhya remains unconfirmed.
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