Kejriwal invokes Lord Ram ahead of assembly polls in 5 states

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Ahead of Assembly elections in five states, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has started chanting Lord Ram's name to garner votes.

Earlier this week, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convener performed an aarti at Saryu river, offered prayers at Hanuman Garhi and visited Ram Lalla in Ayodhya during his two-day trip to the holy city on October 25 and 26. If that is not enough, he has announced to participate in a Diwali Pooja at Delhi's Thyagraj Stadium, where preparations are on to install a 30-ft-tall replica of Lord Ram for the evening event. Post his return from Ayodhya and about a week ahead of Diwali, Kejriwal has asked people to join him in 'Diwali pooja' via their television sets. "I will perform Diwali Pooja with my cabinet ministers at 7 o'clock on November 4. I would like two crore people of the capital to join me," he said in an address with 'Om Jai Jagdish' tune playing in the background.

In 2020, he performed Diwali Puja at Akshardham Temple.

On October 27, the chief minister also added Ayodhya to the Mukhyamantri Tirth Kalyan Yojna -- a scheme under which Delhiites are provided free travel by AC trains and stay in AC hotels. "Ayodhya has made it to the list of Mukhyamantri Tirth Kalyan Yojna in addition to other pilgrimage sites like Jagannath Puri, Ujjain, Shirdi, Amritsar, Jammu, Dwarka, Mathura, Tirupati, Rameshwaram, Haridwar, Bodh Gaya. The Delhi government will assist those who want to visit Ram Lalla in Ayodhya free of cost," the Chief Minister said while making the announcement.

"I was fortunate that I got the chance to bow before Ram Lalla and I wish everyone must get this chance. Whatever capability I have, I will use that to make more and more people have 'darshan' here," he had added.

The Delhi chief ministers' references to Ram does not end here.

The AAP senior leader had said earlier during an assembly session in March that he wishes to establish 'Ram Rajya' in the city. He had promised all the basic facilities for its citizens in Delhi.

Responding to Kejriwal's Ayodhya visit, UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath said, "Earlier those who were indifferent to Lord Ram are now paying obeisance at the lord. It's good. At least they have realised the importance and existence of Shri Ram."

Reacting to Yogi Adityanth's statement, an AAP leader said, "Ram does not belong to one particular person or party alone. He belongs to all. If Yogiji thinks that Lord Ram belongs only to him or the BJP, then I am sorry to say but he has a very narrow mind."

States of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Gujarat will go to polls in 2022.