Saints want Narendra Modi to built the Ram temple at the disputed Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site.
The saints in Uttar Pradesh's temple town, Ayodhya, have said that they will support the BJP in the upcoming election only if Prime Minister Narendra Modi promises to built the Ram temple at the disputed Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site.
Claiming sadhus' hold a strong following in UP, head priest of the makeshift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Acharya Satyendra Das said, "(PM) Modi must visit Ayodhya, give us a guarantee and announce that he will get the Ram temple constructed during his tenure, then we will mobilise the Hindu masses to vote for the BJP."
"If we support BJP, it will definitely win," Mr Das said, adding our "only wish is to see a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya".
Reacting to Mr Das' demand, the Mahant of Rasik Niwas temple in Ayodhya, Raghuvar Sharan, alleged that the BJP leaders who gained politically due to the Ayodhya Ram temple movement never raised the issue in parliament.
"The BJP leaders, who rose to politics due to Ayodhya issue including Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar and Uma Bharti, are all members of Parliament," he said.
"They never raised their voice for Ram temple in the House, neither did they demand that Prime Minister Modi bring a resolution in Parliament for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya," Mr Sharan said.
(with inputs from PTI)