BJP's Lallu Singh Eyes Hat-Trick in Faizabad Amidst Political Tensions

Eyeing a hat-trick in Faizabad, BJP MP Lallu Singh critiques opposition leaders for neglecting the Ram temple, arguing they aim to secure minority votes. Singh decries claims of BJP's Hindu-Muslim politics and highlights the party's developmental achievements. The main electoral battle is between Singh and SP's Awadhesh Prasad.

Eyeing a hat-trick of poll victories from the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, incumbent BJP MP Lallu Singh feels that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav are not visiting the Ram temple in Ayodhya ''fearing that they will not get the votes of the minorities''.

He also asserted that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) never indulges in the politics of Hindu-Muslim.

''They feel that if they visit (the Ram temple), they will not get the votes of the minorities and hence, they are not going there,'' Singh told PTI, when asked whether he feels that Gandhi and Yadav are hesitating to pay a visit to the newly-built temple.

''In July 2005, when hand grenades were hurled at the Ram Janmabhoomi and then there was a terror attack, it was (SP patriarch) Mulayam Singh Yadav's government in Uttar Pradesh. Not even a minister of state went to Ayodhya after the blasts. From this, you can make out (about them) and they claim that they are devotees of Lord Ram,'' he said.

The July 5, 2005 terror attack in Ayodhya left two people dead and seven paramilitary personnel injured. Five suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists were eliminated by security forces in retaliatory action.

Asked about Gandhi's allegation that prominent personalities and big businessmen were invited to the Ram temple's consecration ceremony on January 22, while poor people, labourers and farmers were nowhere to be seen, Singh said, ''People from different sections of the society, who had helped build the temple, were invited. He (Gandhi) too was invited. Besides, seers from across the country were present at the ceremony.'' On February 12, Gandhi said in Chhattisgarh's Korba that he saw the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and big businessmen at the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, but poor people, labourers and farmers were nowhere to be seen.

Singh said, ''He (Gandhi) should talk about his own history. Why did they (the Congress) fail to do what Modiji has done (in 10 years), despite remaining in power for 60 years? Electricity had not reached villages, people neither had houses nor toilets and no one had an LPG gas connection. They never pondered over these (issues) and are talking about useless things.'' Refuting claims that the unity among opposition parties might impact the outcome of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, the 69-year-old BJP leader said, ''Who is there (in the opposition) that they will unite? Does the Congress have anything in Uttar Pradesh? The Congress has nothing in Uttar Pradesh and the regional parties, whosoever they may be, have tied up with communal forces and are spreading casteism to get power. They do not think about the country. Gradually, people have understood everything.'' To a question on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) indulging in the politics of Hindu-Muslim, Singh said, ''We have never done it. You can ask the Muslims of Ayodhya and if we have done anything like this, then give examples.'' He also recalled that on December 30 last year, Modi unveiled a new-look old city with an airport, a revamped train station and projects worth Rs 15,700 crore, ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple.

The Faizabad Lok Sabha seat consists of five Assembly segments -- Dariyabad, Rudauli, Mikipur (reserved for SC candidates), Bikapur and Ayodhya.

Dariyabad is located in neighbouring Barabanki district while the four other Assembly constituencies are in Ayodhya district.

SP candidate Awadhesh Prasad is the MLA from Milkipur, while Dariyabad is represented in the Assembly by BJP's Satish Sharma, Rudauli by BJP's Ram Chandra Yadav, Bikapur by the saffron party's Amit Singh Chauhan and Ayodhya by the party's Ved Prakash Gupta.

Polling for the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat is scheduled to take place in the fifth phase of the seven-phase election on May 20 and the counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

Thirteen candidates are in the fray from Faizabad, with the main battle between Singh and Prasad. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also fielded a candidate from the seat.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)