The names of Faizabad district and railway station have been changed, but Ayodhya is still officially recognized as Faizabad in the records of the Election Commission. The fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections in UP is focused on Awadh, with most of the Lok Sabha constituencies in Awadh, including Faizabad, going to the polls on May 20. Despite this, many political analysts are concerned that the fervor surrounding the Ram Temple, which was evident during the consecration ceremony on January 22, has diminished.
The silence of the voters raises questions about the potential impact of this issue. During our conversation with independent journalist Dr. Chandra Gopal Pandey in Ayodhya, Dr. Pandey highlighted that approximately 1.5 crore devotees have visited the Ram temple since its Pran-Pratishtha. These visitors come from various parts of the country and have noticed the changes in Ayodhya, from the railway station and airport to the streets and temples.
This indicates that the issue and allure of the Ram Mandir continue to resonate among the people, implying that elections and politics cannot remain unaffected by its influence. Rakesh Yadav, near Saket College, expressed his views by stating that when concerns regarding inflation, unemployment, paper leaks, and reservations surfaced, the BJP became anxious. Prime Minister Narendra Modi strategically conducted a roadshow in the region on May 5 to redirect the public's attention towards Ayodhya at a national level.
The subsequent discussions surrounding Ayodhya and the Ram temple intensified following the PM's visit. While emphasizing that Lord Ram transcends politics, he added that the main electoral battle seems to be between the BJP and SP. It is crucial for the BJP to secure victory in Ayodhya to avoid tarnishing its reputation globally. In terms of the seat equation, BJP's Lallu Singh won the 2019 elections by a slim margin of 65 thousand votes despite garnering 5.29 lakh votes.
The SP candidate from the SP-BSP alliance, Anand Sen Yadav, received 4.63 lakh votes. Had the 53 thousand votes received by Congress's Nirmal Khatri been added to the alliance, the margin would have been significantly narrower. In 2014, Lallu won by a margin of 2.81 lakh votes. This time, the influence of the Ram Mandir factor may provide some relief to him, although the SP could benefit from the absence of Nirmal Khatri and Congress in the race. The Faizabad seat holds a significant number of Pasi community members, who are believed to be inclined towards the BJP.
To challenge the BJP's stronghold on the Pasi vote bank, the SP has targeted Yadav and Muslim voters as its core supporters and fielded senior MLA Awadhesh Prasad from the Pasi community. The Sen family's discontent over not receiving tickets has led Anand Sen's brother, former IPS officer Arvind Sen, to contest from the CPI. This event marks a notable shift, with a prominent political family member entering the fray from the Communist Party after three decades within the saffron stronghold.
Moreover, the BSP has nominated Sachchidanand Pandey from the Brahmin community to pose a challenge to the BJP. Pandey, who has previously been associated with the BJP, aims to sway some Brahmin votes alongside the cadre votes. Additionally, the SP faces the challenge of one of its MLAs from the district, Abhay Singh, defecting to the BJP, along with his wife Sarita Singh and other associates actively campaigning for the BJP.
In terms of major issues, various community members shared their perspectives. Rajendra Prasad of Nishad Samaj highlighted improvements such as stray animal control, increased pensions, and temple construction. Amarnath Gupta emphasized the religious inclinations of Modi and Yogi during public addresses, while Bahadur Yadav expressed concerns about potential rise in hooliganism under the SP's governance.
Ram Bhawan pointed out the prevailing inflation and increased cylinder prices, juxtaposed against the significance of the Ram temple in influencing voting decisions. Furthermore, the political landscape presents a diverse set of candidates vying for the Faizabad seat. Lallu Singh from the BJP, with a history of multiple legislative and parliamentary terms, faces competition from Awadhesh Prasad of the SP, a seasoned MLA and minister, and Sachchidanand Pandey of the BSP, who has transitioned from the BJP and is relatively younger in age.
Each candidate brings distinct qualifications and affiliations to the electoral battleground, shaping the narrative of the upcoming elections in Faizabad.