Politics in UP heats up as Akhilesh calls for meeting to respond to CM’s Gyanvapi statement

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s recent remarks on the Gyanvapi issue have caused a stir in political circles. In an interview on Monday, CM Yogi stated that issues would arise if disputed the site is called a mosque. While the impact of this statement on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections remains to be seen, it has already created ripples among the main Opposition in the state, the Samajwadi Party (SP). In response to this, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav has called for a meeting on Tuesday to respond to CM Yogi’s statements.
Although the Gyanvapi issue is being heard in court, it is also emerging as a political matter, as indicated by the Chief Minister’s remarks. Political analysts have been drawing various interpretations from it, and some have also connected it to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Akhilesh Yadav, who is the SP’s national president, understands very well that the Opposition’s reactions could cause communal polarisation in the state. He will not want the BJP to benefit in any way, since it has been observed that the party has benefitted whenever Opposition leaders have made comments on the Hindu faith. However, in some cases where the opposition has shown vigilance on these issues, the BJP has also suffered losses, as seen recently in the Karnataka Assembly elections.