As UP Legislators Visit Ayodhya, A Notable Omission In Lord Ram’s Entourage

Several Uttar Pradesh legislators today visited the temple and Ayodhya, but Lord Ram’s entourage had a notable omission: Samajwadi Party. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav declined Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s invitation to visit the holy site today.

“We will go only when Lord Shri Ram calls us,” Mr Yadav said in the Uttar Pradesh assembly on Saturday.  

Ten luxury buses, carrying cabinet ministers and members of the legislature, departed for Ayodhya from Lucknow at 8 am today. With the exception of Samajwadi leaders, most legislators are part of the journey.

An official statement said that Adityanath will reach Ayodhya airport directly on Sunday. After this, he and his cabinet ministers will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla at the Ayodhya temple.

Currently, there are 400 MLAs in the state assembly while there are 100 members in the Legislative Council. It was unclear exactly how many members are going to Ayodhya.

BJP has 252 MLAs in the assembly, its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) has 13, NNishad party has six and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has six. Nishad and SBSP are constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance.