Election Commission ban on Yogi lands in Ayodhya temple meets saints

Lucknow:Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is making good use of the 72-hour ban imposed on him by the Election Commission.

Adityanath on Wednesday left for Ayodhya to offer prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple and the Hanuman Garhi temple.

On Tuesday, he had visited the Hanuman Setu temple in Lucknow where he recited the Hanuman Chalisa.

"The Chief Minister's programme includes visits to Ram Janambhoomi and Hanuman Garhi temple. He will also meet VHP religious leaders in Ayodhya on Wednesday," BJP district president in Ayodhya, Avadhesh Pandey, said.

The BJP leader said that Yogi Adityanath will be meeting Ram Janambhoomi Nyas President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Digambar Akhara Mahant Suresh Das.

He will spend Wednesday in Ayodhya and have lunch with prominent 'sadhus' of Ayodhya at Digambar Akhara.

In the evening, he will go to Devipatan, a temple of goddess Durga in Balrampur district, where he will make a night stay.

The BJP termed the Chief Minister's visit to the temple 'a personal one'.

The Election Commission on Monday had barred Yogi Adityanath from campaigning for 72 hours starting 6 a.m. Tuesday for his 'divisive' comments at a rally in Meerut.

Adityanath had said at the rally, "If the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP have faith in Ali, we have faith in Bajrang Bali."