No point going with BJP to Ram temple at Ayodhya on Feb 11: SP leader Shivpal Yadav

LUCKNOW: A day after the Uttar Pradesh government invited all members of the Legislative Assembly to Ayodhya for 'darshan' of Lord Ram on February 11, Samajwadi Party on Wednesday said there is no point going to Ayodhya with the BJP.

"There is no point going to Ayodhya with the BJP. We (members) did not get an invitation for the consecration ceremony. Even the Speaker was not invited to the January 22 ceremony," SP national general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav told reporters when asked whether his party legislators will go to Ayodhya on February 11.

"We will ask the leader of opposition (Akhilesh Yadav) to make separate arrangements for us for the Ayodhya visit," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Speaker Satish Mahana had on Tuesday informed about the government's invitation to all the members during the assembly session.

Mahana invited the members of all parties on behalf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to visit Ayodhya on February 11.

He said, "In the presence of the chief minister, party leaders had requested to take them to Ayodhya. Shivpal Singh Yadav ji had also said we will go if the Speaker takes us. I am inviting you all on the behalf of the chief minister and on my own behalf." The Speaker had said they expect to reach Ayodhya by 11.30 am of Feb 11 and the members will first visit the Hanuman Garhi temple and then pay obeisance at the Ram Mandir temple from 12.30 pm to 2 pm.

An idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22, a landmark event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Lakhs of people watched the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony on the television and social media at their homes and in neighbourhood temples, savouring the historic moment just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.