Ayodhya's Ram Mandir to be 'Rashtra Mandir' of India: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow, Feb 18: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday announced that a grand temple of Lord Ram will be ready in Ayodhya by 2023. This Ram Temple will be 'Rashtra Mandir' of India.

Addressing a rally in Karhal, Yogi Adityanath said "leaders of Samajwadi Party have lost their temper by seeing ther imminent defeat in Karhal Assembly constituency. The attack on SP Singh Baghel (Union Minister & BJP candidate) is an example of their cowardliness."

"I saw a photo in today's newspapers, which made me laught & feel sorry (for Shivpal Singh Yadav). Poor Shivpal, who was a leader of the state, was not given a chair to sit. He was sulking. I felt bad on his misfortune," he added.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is contesting the Assembly poll from Karhal seat. The seat has been an SP stronghold and the party had won the seat in the past three assembly polls in 2007, 2012 and 2017. BJP had won the seat in 2002.

The constituency has a sizable presence of Yadav voters, a traditional vote bank of the SP.

Being adjacent to Saifai, the native place of Akhilesh Yadav, Karhal is considered a safe seat for him.

The 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a marked change in the trend with both top rivals - chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav - entering the fray themselves. Uttar Pradesh chief ministers since 2007 be it Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav or Adityanath in 2017 chose the legislative council route to reach the post. While Adityanath is presently an MLC, Akhilesh Yadav is an MP.