'Fight should be face-to-face': CM Yogi accepts Akhilesh's Ayodhya challenge

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accepted Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav's challenge to contest the upcoming assembly elections from Ayodhya, addressing a public meeting in Balrampur on Saturday. Adityanath invited Yadav to face him directly in the election, stating Ayodhya was their sacred abode and a center of their faith.

This challenge came two days after Yadav dared the CM to contest from Ayodhya, claiming the BJP had failed to find a suitable candidate for the seat despite conducting surveys. Adityanath, who currently represents Gorakhpur Urban assembly constituency, criticized the previous SP government for Ayodhya's poor development, including limited electricity and garbage littering.

The political exchange follows the SP's victory in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which includes Ayodhya, in the 2024 general elections, where SP candidate Awadhesh Prasad defeated BJP's Lallu Singh. Adityanath accused the SP of misgovernance, criminal protection, and failing to provide employment opportunities, referring to Yadav's slogan PDA (Pichhe, Dalit, and Alaskhyak) as a "sink-the-state alliance."

He also accused the SP of dynastic politics and cited their failure to provide adequate representation to Dalits and backward communities in Rajya Sabha nominations. Adityanath highlighted his government's job creation and development achievements, including assisting disaster-affected families within 24 hours and addressing human-wildlife conflicts.