Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 9: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday dared Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to contest the 2027 Assembly elections from Ayodhya. He said the Chief Minister should contest from the temple town if he was confident of the support of its people.

Yadav made the remarks while speaking to the media during his visit to Ballia. He visited the ancestral village of former Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary to pay tribute to him. Yadav said his remarks were political advice and not a challenge to the Chief Minister. He also questioned the treatment of people in Ayodhya.

“The people of Ayodhya are not against development. However, Ayodhya could have emerged as a city with an international identity and recognition,” he said. He alleged that the people of the city had been treated unfairly.

The SP chief claimed that several shops were taken away, houses were demolished, and land was acquired for development projects. He alleged that affected people did not receive compensation at market rates. Yadav also took a swipe at the alleged issue of temple offerings. “Even a beggar sitting outside a temple does not steal the offerings,” he said.

Expressing confidence ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, Yadav said a change in the state government was likely. “There is going to be a change in 2027,” he said. He also targeted Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar. Yadav alleged that the BJP had weakened Rajbhar's bargaining power.

On the proposed protest by the CJP at Jantar Mantar on October 10, Yadav said the Samajwadi Party had extended moral support to the organisation. He added that the party's support remained unchanged. Yadav also spoke about the INDIA bloc and seat-sharing arrangements for the 2027 Assembly elections. He said the opposition alliance had defeated the BJP in the 2024 elections and would repeat the result in 2027.

The SP chief said his party was prepared for the upcoming polls and would contest them with the INDIA bloc. He added that there was not much time left before the elections. (With ANI inputs)