Ahead of PM’s Ayodhya visit, UP Dy CM stays put in temple town

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be visiting Ayodhya on Thursday to oversee the preparations. According to officials, the CM will first offer prayers to Ram Lalla and then inspect development projects to be inaugurated by the PM.

Meanwhile, Deputy CM Maurya is holding both organisational as well as government review meetings over the Prime Minister’s visit, conducting inspections of several projects, and participating in cleanliness drive daily in daily, BJP sources said.

Besides, Maurya has been interacting with locals and shopkeepers. “In the past three days, Maurya has become the face of both the administration and the organisation (BJP) in Ayodhya,” they said.

“There is nothing unique about it,” Maurya told The Indian Express. “I have been organisational in charge of Ayodhya in the past. So, for both, the government and the organisation, I am reviewing the preparations. Several leaders are coming to Ayodhya. Everyone wants to come to Ayodhya, but only a limited number of people can be there.”

Asserting that it is a big moment(consecration ceremony), Maurya said, “After 1990’s kar sewa, this is going to be the biggest moment, and the welcome has to be grand as well. On his arrival in Ayodhya on December 30, the Prime Minister will go out for an Ayodhya darshan (4-5km) and also address a public meeting. (BJP) workers from across the country want to come, but only those from the Awadh region, excluding Amethi, will be coming to Ayodhya.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Maurya convened a meeting of local mayor, MPs, MLAs and other public representatives, along with officers of the administration and the police, at the Commissioner’s Office auditorium and gave instructions for the preparations for the Prime Minister’s visit.

Earlier in the day, the Deputy CM participated in a cleanliness drive at Asharfi Bhawan crossing, attended Viksit Bharat Sankalpa Yatra in Sardar Patel Ward and inspected the development of Tent City at Mani Parwat in Teerth Kshetr Puram and Municipal Corporation Tent City near Brahmakund Gurdwara.

On December 25, Maurya held meetings with party office bearers, public representatives and workers at Circuit House and then with officials over the Prime Minister’s visit. Later in the day, he inspected the renovation work of Maryada Purushottam Ram International Airport and the new terminal to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister on December 30.

On December 25, cleanliness drives were conducted near the Ram Janmabhoomi site and Lata Mangeshkar Chowk.

On December 26, he participated in a ‘swachhata karyakram’ at Saryu Arti Ghat and inspected the stretch from the airport to the railway station on which the Prime Minister is expected to hold a roadshow and the proposed rally ground for the Prime Minister’s visit.

Told that he is seen cleaning roads in Ayodhya every morning, Maurya said, “Prime Minister had taken a sakalpa for Swachh Bharat. As he (the PM) is coming to Ayodhya, we have started a campaign and gave a slogan ‘Jahan Janme Prabhu Shri Ram, Swachh Sundar Rahe Ayodhya Dham’. For this, we have initiated a cleanliness dive. We are going to places such as ghats, lanes or main roads with the sole motive to make Ayodhya clean and beautiful.”

On Wednesday, Maurya was accompanied by Cabinet Minister and in charge of Ayodhya Surya Pratap Shahi, BJP organisation general secretary Dharampal Singh and Excise Minister Nitin Agarwal.

According to sources, several leaders, including State BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary, are likely to join Maurya on Thursday.

“He (Maurya) is well-versed with the region and was associated with the temple movement, too. Moreover, many leaders are visiting Ayodhya, but his presence has attracted the attention of the people as he has been camping there and also holding organisational as well as government meetings. But it (the entire exercise) could be mere an attempt to ensure a decent crowd management for the Prime Minister’s visit,” said a party leader.