AYODHYA: In the first electoral battle after Supreme Court order settling the vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue, the temple town of Ayodhya seems to be evenly poised for a tough battle of ballots ahead. It will vote in phase-V on Sunday.
The temple issue, which has been one of major poll planks of the saffron brigade for decades, is not so any more in Ayodhya as the temple is now coming up following the court order. However, people attribute it to the BJP saying the party never left the issue.
"I know the court order has paved way for temple construction but BJP shares our sentiments and Modiji laid the temple's foundation. I don't think any other PM would have done that personally," says Mahesh Prasad Gupta, 52, a businessman.
Iqbal Ansari, one of the litigants in the mandir-masjid dispute, feels the BJP should come again. "Rule of law is prevailing in Ayodhya. We are living amicably," he says. Ayodhya Assembly segment is considered a BJP stronghold for it remained with the party since 1991, till the SP wrested it in the 2012 election.
While the BJP has repeated its sitting MLA Ved Prakash Gupta, SP has given ticket to Brahmin face Tej Narain Pandey alias Pawan Pandey who had defeated BJP's Lallu Singh in 2012. Pandey was defeated by Gupta in 2017. Though Gupta is facing some anti-incumbency, he seems to have an edge as people are set to vote in the names of Modi and Yogi.
With no palpable anti-incumbency in the constituency, Samajwadi Party is banking upon the caste configuration of Ayodhya. SP's core vote base here comprising Muslims and Yadavs together make a respectable 92,000 voters with Yadavs being 37,000 and Muslims 55,000.
The party has strategically fielded a Brahmin eyeing some support from the community. "We are confident of support of all castes and win the seat," says Vishnu Singh, an SP member.
The development work undertaken by the incumbent government is the main plank of the BJP. "Whatever the BJP government did so far for Ayodhya, no government has ever done and no one will ever do," says Dinesh Kumar Singh, a private school teacher.
Siddharth Rawat, dealing in edible oil, is not ready to acknowledge the development of Ayodhya. "Had BJP government done so much, Yogi would not have gone to Gorakhpur to contest election. He didn't have the confidence of winning from Ayodhya," reasons out Rawat.
The issue of stray cattle is also being raised in debates. "Only this issue needs to be resolved as it is hitting the farmers, otherwise the government has done all-round development of Ayodhya," says Abhishek Srivatava. Ram Autar Tiwari, a farmer, feels free ration is useless and farmers are helpless due to stray animals.
Meanwhile, seers of Ayodhya stand in BJP's support. "The construction of temple has forced politicians like BSP leader SC Mishra, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to rush here only to draw political gains," says Mahant Raju Das, priest, Hanuman Garhi temple.
If Abdul Gaffar feels SP would win majority of seats in and around Ayodhya, Razia, coming out of a PDS shop, acknowledges facilities given by the BJP government.
Kalpana Mishra, a housewife and mother of two girls, feels safety of women is not at stake anymore. Suraiyya of Sunni Mohal locality begs to differ saying that law and order was equally good in SP regime.
However, the pain of having sacrificed Babri Masjid still lingers on. "It will always be there till we are alive," says Haji Yusuf Qureshi.