SP-RLD undecided as UP MLAs invited to visit Ayodhya on Feb 11

Lucknow, Feb 7 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana has invited all legislators to visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya on February 11, but the Samajwadi Party (SP) and RLD MLAs said that they would take a decision after discussing the matter with their leaders.

The development comes five days after opposition leaders (including Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal) during an all-party meeting, had agreed to visit the temple.

Earlier, the state cabinet had planned to visit the temple on February 1 but the decision was postponed following the heavy influx of devotees to the shrine.

Speaker Mahana said that opposition leaders, including senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav, had given a statement that he would visit the temple if invited.

The Speaker said that all MLAs, including him, will travel by bus to Ayodhya at 8 a.m. on February 11.

They will reach Ayodhya by 11.30 a.m. and head straight to the Hanuman Garhi temple. The MLAs will then visit Ram temple and remain there till around 2 p.m. The MLAs are scheduled to embark on the return journey by 3 p.m.

“It is an open invitation to all MLAs from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and myself,” Mahana said.