Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party chief, announced his planned visit to Ayodhya's Ram Temple on December 12, 2025, with his family, marking his first trip since the shrine opened to the public in January 2024.
He will begin prayers at Hanuman Garhi before proceeding to Darshan at the Ram Mandir, a move that the party says follows the completion of the Kedareshwar temple in Etawah.
The announcement came from SP leader Pawan Pandey, who cited the temple’s recent construction milestone as a reason for Yadav’s pilgrimage.
BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi blasted the visit as a political stunt, accusing Yadav of exploiting religious sentiment for electoral gain and warning that devotees will not forgive such opportunism.
Yadav’s campaign has already rattled Yogi Adityanath’s government, accusing the Chief Minister of colluding with the Election Commission to delete 1.27 crore Hindu voters, a claim that has inflamed political tensions across the state.
As Uttar Pradesh heads toward its 2026 assembly elections, the SP aims to consolidate Hindu voters, but the party’s strategy may trigger intensified scrutiny from BJP critics and a polarized electorate.