Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, 25 October, took part in Ayodhya's Saryu aarti.
Kejriwal is on a two-day visit to the temple town along with AAP's MP Sanjay Singh. On Tuesday, he will offer prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and Hanuman Garhi temple, before coming back to Delhi, news agency IANS reported.
The Delhi CM is the latest in a number of politicians visiting Ayodhya ahead of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly elections, which are slated to take place early next year. Kejriwal has already announced that his party will contest in all 403 seats in the UP elections.
'Prayed for the Well-Being of India to Lord Ram': Kejriwal
During Monday's aarti, Kejriwal met saints who were present at the event, which was organised by the head of Ayodhya's Nirvani Akhada Mahant Dharam Das, reported Hindustan Times. In the pictures posted on Kejriwal's official Twitter account, he is also seen performing an aarti for "Ma Saryu".
After the aarti, Kejriwal spoke to the people who had gathered there. He reportedly began his talk with the chant of Jai Shri Ram. Besides, he also invoked Lord Ram during his speech.
"I am fortunate to be in Ayodhya," Kejriwal told the gathering adding that he sought the blessings of "Ma Saryu" and prayed for the well-being of people of Delhi, UP and the entire country.
"The country is facing the COVID pandemic. But for the last few days situation in under some control. With blessing of Ma Saryu and Lord Ram, soon we will be free from this pandemic," Kejriwal said as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Further, the Delhi CM added that he sought Lord Ram's blessings to make India "number 1". He asserted that the 130 crore people of the country could together make this possible.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meanwhile slammed Kejriwal's Ayodhya visit. BJP MLA Ved Prakash Gupta, who represents Ayodhya Sadar Assembly constituency, said, "AAP was opposing Ram Mandir. They wanted a university instead of Ram Mandir at Ram Janmabhoomi. Now, in Ayodhya they are talking about Lord Ram. They have no political base in Uttar Pradesh."
'BJP Had Planned To Attack Kejriwal During His Visit'
Meanwhile, AAP's Uttar Pradesh in-charge and MP Sanjay Singh claimed the BJP had intentions to "attack" Kejriwal during his visit to Ayodhya.
In a video posted on his official Twitter account, Singh said,
"I want to clearly tell the CM Yogi Adityanath and the government of Uttar Pradesh to please desist from such antics. The BJP has developed a 'demonic' tendency to always target Arvind Kejriwal ji, the Aam Aadmi Party, obstructing his travels and work. Everyone has the right to darshan of Lord Ram", Singh said.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times, IANS, and NDTV.)
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