Building Ram temple: Is Amit Shah trying to do an Advani?

Ayodhya (UP), July 6: Amit Shah, the BJP leader in charge of Uttar Pradesh for the next Lok Sabha polls, brought back the Ram temple agenda during his visit here on Saturday. He said the people of the country wish to see a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya and that the BJP was committed to build it at the earliest so that the people can pray there regularly.

Accusing the Congress of misruling, Shah said he visited Ram Lalla to pray for good governance and that the country gets rid of the Congress-led ruling coalition at the Centre.

He, however, refused to comment on the Ishrat Jahan case, which has created much sensationalism in India's political and media circles. Shah was the home minister of Gujarat when Ishrat and three other men were killed by the police, in June 2004. The CBI, which filed its chargesheet on the case recently, said it was a fake encounter.

With party president Rajnath Singh

UP BJP in-charge Amit Shah with party president Rajnath Singh at a press conference at the party headquarters in Lucknow on June 27.

Addressing a press conference

UP BJP in-charge Amit Shah addresses a press conference at the party office in Lucknow.

With senior party leader Kalraj Mishra

UP BJP in-charge Amit Shah with senior party leader Kalraj Mishra in Lucknow.

With Kalyan Singh and his son

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Kalyan Singh with son Rajveer Singh with UP BJP in-charge Amit Shah in Lucknow.

Greeting supporters

BJP leader Amit Shah greets party workers in Lucknow during his first visit to the UP as the state's election in-charge.

At a party meeting

BJP leader Amit Shah at a party meeting in Lucknow during his maiden visit to the state as its election in-charge.

Shah also met BJP office-bearers and workers on Saturday besides participating in the ongoing BJP Avadh Prant meeting at Karsevakpuram. The meeting is being held after a decade. The BJP leader from Gujarat is also likely to meet Nritya Gopal Das, the chief of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (trust).

Construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya has always been the BJP's top priority and it rose to prominence by capitalising on the movement. Veteran BJP leader L K Advani had mobilised a massive support by appealing to the majoritarian sentiments through the Ram temple movement.

The issue lost its edge after the BJP -led NDA came to power at the Centre in the late 1990s, mainly owing to the compulsion of coalition politics.

Now, with the BJP losing allies fast, is it planning to go back to the basics to mobilise support once again?

OneIndia News