Sri Sri meets Adityanath day before visiting Ayodhya

Ahead of his visit to Ayodhya on Thursday, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on Wednesday, officials said.

It was a "courtesy meeting" that lasted about 15-20 minutes and went off well, a senior state government official said.

"As far as the Ayodhya issue is concerned, Adityanath's stand is very clear. The state government is not a party. We welcome any settlement and will honour the decision of the court," he said.

Shankar had said in Delhi earlier this week that he was involved as a mediator in the Ram Temple dispute of his own will and would visit Ayodhya on November 16 to meet all stakeholders.

He said he did not have an agenda and would listen to everybody. On Tuesday, Adityanath started the campaign for urban local bodies polls from Ayodhya.

He said "Ayodhya" means a place where there is no possibility of a "yudh" (fight).

"I am starting the campaign in Ayodhya with the aim that the results in all the local bodies are in favour of the BJP, so that development that was obstructed during the SP and BSP governments can be carried out in the state," he had said.