With Ram temple in front and centre, BJP expects rich political dividends

As it reckons Opposition's rejection of invites to the temple consecration ceremony may polarise electorate again

The so-called “liberation” of Ram’s birthplace in Ayodhya has undeniably contributed to the political ascendancy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), although the strategies, campaigns, and popular mobilisation for the movement were orchestrated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). 

The demand for a temple dedicated to Ram propelled the BJP to a dominant position in the north, particularly Uttar Pradesh, the west, and Karnataka in the south.
 

The Ayodhya Assembly seat, the epicentre of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri mosque dispute in the Avadh region, has been held by the BJP since 1993, with an interruption in 2012