Akhilesh says got invite but will visit Ram temple after Jan 22

Stating that he has received the invite for attending the January 22 Ram temple opening ceremony in Ayodhya, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said that he would visit the temple with his family after the consecration ceremony.

In a post on X, Akhilesh attached a photo of a letter written by him to Ram temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai. “Thank you for the heartfelt invitation to the Pran Patishtha ceremony of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. Congratulations on the ceremony being held successfully. I will definitely come after the ceremony with my family as worshippers. Thank you again for the invitation received today,” Akhilesh wrote.

On Friday, Akhilesh had said that he had not received the invitation for the Ram Temple ceremony and alleged that the Opposition parties were being humiliated by the BJP in the name of Lord Ram.

Till a day ago, the SP’s stand on the temple inauguration has been ambivalent. While SP MP and Akhilesh’s wife Dimple Yadav said she would attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony if invited, Akhilesh had said that he would go to the temple “whenever God would want him to”.