Photographs: Roy Madhur/Reuters Sharat Pradhan in Ayodhya
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s envoy and Bhartiya Janata Party’s new Uttar Pradesh incharge Amit Shah on Saturday sought to invoke the Gods at the Ram temple in Ayodhya for insuring his party’s victory at the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Besides reiterating the party’s 20-year old rhetoric about building a magnificent temple in place of the makeshift one at the disputed Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid complex, Shah prayed before ‘Ram Lalla’ deity in Ayodhya for BJP”s rise to power together with defeat of the Congress.
“I have just offered my prayers at the Ram temple to rid this nation of Congress misrule and for the establishment of Ram Rajya with a BJP government in place”, Shah told anxious mediapersons as he emerged out of the sanctum sanctorum of the tarpaulin wrapped tin-shed covered makeshift Ram temple, kept under round-the-clock surveillance of a huge contingent of central para-military forces.
“I also prayed for fulfilling our mission to build a grand Ram temple in place of the makeshift one”, he added.
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At Ayodhya temple, Amit Shah prays for BJP rule in India
The visit to the temple was followed by a closed-door meeting of BJP workers and leaders drawn from across 14 districts of eastern UP, that comprise 16 Lok Sabha and 81 state assembly constituencies. Ironically, BJP has only one Lok Sabha and just six state assembly seats in its kitty from this region.
Even as Shah claimed to be an ardent ‘Ram bhakt’, this was the first time ever that he was visiting Ayodhya.
In tow were senior UP BJP leaders including state party president Laxmi Kant Bajpai, Lucknow MP Lalji Tandon, former state BJP chiefs Kalraj Misra, Vinay Katiyar among others.
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At Ayodhya temple, Amit Shah prays for BJP rule in India
Photographs: Fredrik Renander/Reuters
Addressing the small gathering of barely 150 partymen, who were specially called for the meeting at Karsewakpuram in Ayodhya, Shah emphasised upon the need to strengthen the party right down to the grassroots booth level.
He called upon partymen to spread the word that BJP alone could provide an alternative to the “inefficient and corrupt” Congress-led UPA regime.
“We need to make people understand that voting for Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party would not help bring about the desired change at the Centre. BJP alone cam bring about that change”, he stated.
Shah proceeded to Gorakhpur later in the afternoon.
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