Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal faced sharp criticism from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders on Sunday, 28 June after he announced the construction of a grand temple dedicated to Mata Sita, Luv, and Kush in Amritsar, with rivals accusing him of orchestrating 'electoral politics' ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

The Announcement That Triggered the Backlash

Kejriwal made the declaration on Saturday during the 'Ek Shaam Bhagwan Shiv Ke Naam' event in Punjab, alongside Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The temple proposal was part of a wider set of religious and cultural initiatives he outlined for the state. The timing — with Punjab polls on the horizon — immediately drew fire from coalition partners and rivals alike.

What BJP Leaders Said

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manan Kumar Mishra was among the sharpest critics. 'When Arvind Kejriwal is heading towards trouble, he suddenly remembers God, Mata Sita, and everyone else. When he was in power, when he was at his peak, he did not like the Ram Mandir,' he said. Mishra added: 'But no matter whom he remembers now, Arvind Kejriwal's situation is already in reverse gear. He has already lost in Delhi and will soon lose in Punjab as well.'

BJP national spokesperson RP Singh offered a more measured response, welcoming the decision while noting: 'Until yesterday, those who were raising questions over the Ram Mandir are now moving towards building a temple.'

JD-U and Shiv Sena Pile On

Janata Dal (United) leader Neeraj Kumar called the announcement 'very late', pointing out that Bihar, under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had already begun constructing a Mata Sita temple using state funds. 'Mata Sita is Jagat Janani... Luv-Kush, they are also a heritage of Bihar. Bihar has already taken decisive steps in this regard,' Kumar said. He also took a direct jab at Kejriwal: 'Your political image has already been damaged because you have gone to jail in corruption-related matters.'

Shiv Sena leader Raju Waghmare echoed the 'electoral politics' charge. 'The same Arvind Kejriwal who was not so enthusiastic about the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is now attempting to construct a temple dedicated to Goddess Sita. The atmosphere in Punjab is not in his favour, so now he is attempting to do electoral politics by doing all these things,' he remarked.

Congress Targets Both AAP and BJP

The criticism was not limited to the NDA. Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam accused Kejriwal of 'working for the BJP'. 'He will speak only as much as the BJP wants him to. He does not have the courage to say anything beyond that. The BJP will not finish the Aam Aadmi Party now. It wants such small parties to continue existing and keep dividing votes because the entire country is looking towards the Congress,' Gautam said, alleging a deliberate strategy by the BJP to keep smaller parties afloat to split opposition votes.

Broader Context

The episode reflects a recurring pattern in Indian electoral politics where religious announcements intensify ahead of state polls. Notably, Kejriwal's AAP suffered a significant defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections earlier this year, making Punjab its most critical remaining electoral battleground. Whether the Amritsar temple announcement reshapes voter sentiment — or reinforces the 'opportunism' narrative his rivals are pushing — will likely become clearer as the Punjab campaign season heats up.