Children dressed as Hindu deities take part in the 'Luv Kush Rath Yatra', in Patna.
Credit: PTI Photo
Patna: Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday flagged off a ‘Luv Kush Rath Yatra’ that would criss-cross the state before reaching Ayodhya on January 22, when the Ram temple's inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled.
Hundreds of supporters had gathered at the BJP's Birchand Patel Marg office in the city, where Choudhary flagged off the ‘Rath Yatra’ in presence of senior leaders like former state president Nand Kishor Yadav and leader in legislative council Hari Sahni.
A party statement said the yatra, named after the twin sons of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, will cross all 38 districts of the state on its way to Ayodhya.
Chants of the slogan "sabke Siya sabke Ram" (Goddess Sita and Lord Ram are revered by all) reverberated in the air, as the BJP leaders showered praise on the PM for "making possible what Hindus have been waiting for 500 years".
Stopovers are scheduled at places associated with the Ramayana like Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi and Vishwamitra Ashram in Buxar.
The yatra is being seen as a subtle attempt by the BJP to make a dent in the core base of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U).
The OBC castes Kurmis and Koeris, known for being loyal towards the JD(U) supremo who was a BJP ally until August 2023, are known as ‘Luv-Kush’ in the political lexicon here.