Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav faced a sharp political broadside from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Friday, 9 October 2026, after he visited Ayodhya to attend a religious programme but did not proceed to the Ram Temple, triggering accusations of 'appeasement politics' from multiple BJP functionaries across Uttar Pradesh.

Pathak's Accusation

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak led the charge, alleging that the SP chief's conduct revealed a purely electoral motive. 'They engage only in appeasement politics. Even if they disguise themselves and enter the Sanatan culture wearing yellow clothes and applying a tilak, all they care about is appeasement and the Muslim vote bank. Samajwadi Party leaders never truly accept Sanatan culture. Ask them to answer for the massacre of the kar sevaks,' Pathak said.

Other BJP Leaders Join the Criticism

Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav also trained his sights on Akhilesh, alleging that the SP president deliberately avoided the temple to protect his support among minority voters ahead of forthcoming elections. BJP MLA Rajani Tiwari offered a more theological critique, asserting that 'unless they receive Lord Ram's blessings, they will not be able to have His darshan. Lord Ram's blessings are not upon them, which is why they are not gaining wisdom or receiving the opportunity to have His darshan.'

UP Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar went further, contrasting Akhilesh's body language while receiving prasad with what he described as the SP chief's ease during visits to religious figures from other communities. 'I have seen his photograph; he appeared worried while accepting prasad, unsure whether to eat it or not. But when he visits a maulana's place, he happily eats naan and roti,' Rajbhar claimed. The remarks reflect a pattern of BJP leaders using religious optics as political weaponry ahead of state elections.

What Akhilesh Actually Did in Ayodhya

Akhilesh Yadav had travelled to Ayodhya on Thursday, 8 October, to attend a Shrimad Bhagwat Katha at the residence of former minister Tej Narayan Pandey, popularly known as Pawan Pandey. The event was held approximately 12 kilometres from the Ram Temple. He did not visit the temple during the trip.

At the event, Akhilesh stressed the values of social equality and compassion, saying: 'The feeling of belonging should be paramount, and compassion should be the first condition of governance.' He also stated that discrimination should have no place in society.

Political Context

The episode underscores the sharpening religious fault lines in Uttar Pradesh politics as parties position themselves ahead of state polls. The BJP has consistently sought to frame the SP's minority outreach as 'vote bank politics', while the SP has sought to project a broad-based social justice platform. Akhilesh's choice to attend a Hindu religious event without visiting the Ram Temple — one of the most politically charged sites in India following its consecration — has handed the ruling party a ready-made talking point. This is not the first time Akhilesh's temple visits, or the absence of them, have become a subject of political theatre in the state.

How the SP responds to this latest volley — and whether Akhilesh moves to clarify his position — will be watched closely as electoral mobilisation in UP intensifies.