BJP placates Ayodhya saints, vows help for Ram temple

In a bid to placate the saints from Ayodhya, who are said to be upset over the ''delay'' in construction of Ram temple, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday met a group of saints here and assured them that the state government as well as the saffron party will extend all cooperation.

''We are getting all help from the BJP...Ram temple will soon be built at Lord Rama's birthplace in Ayodhya,'' said Mahant Suresh Das of Ayodhya based Digamber Akhara after meeting Adityanath.

Das said that Adityanath would be visiting Ayodhya later this month and would be meeting the saints. ''The issue (Ram temple) will be discussed at length then,'' he added.

According to sources here, senior BJP leaders also met the seers.

Earlier, a few senior saints from Ayodhya had warned the BJP that they would launch a nationwide movement for the construction of Ram temple in the temple town. ''Despite having BJP governments at the Centre and in the state, there is no progress on Ram temple...BJP will face the wrath of the saint community if it does not declare its unequivocal support for the temple,'' a senior saint from Ayodhya had warned.

''The saints have always blessed us...we are blessed by everyone, who wears saffron.....we are with them also,'' said UP minister and senior BJP leader Suresh Khanna.

Adityanath is expected to announce sops for Ayodhya during his forthcoming visit, sources said.