After UP Lok Sabha Setback, Yogi Government’s Big Policy Shift For Ayodhya Traders
Lucknow: Battered in the just concluded Lok Sabha election where BJP even lost the election in Faizabad (Ayodhya), the Yogi government has gone for course correction by changing its policy for Ayodhya traders from a business-first approach to prioritizing local interests.
Hundreds of shops between Faizabad and Ayodhya were demolished for the construction of the Ram Path. Initially, shopkeepers were required to pay Rs 20 to 25 lakh upfront to acquire new shops, a condition that many local traders could not meet. This policy effectively barred them from obtaining new shops due to the high cost imposed by the Ayodhya Development Authority.
Post-election, the Yogi government announced a major policy shift to support local traders affected by the Ram Path project. The new policy allows displaced shopkeepers to acquire 500 newly constructed shops through interest-free, long-term instalment plans.
The BJP won only 33 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, with the most surprising loss in Ayodhya, where BJP’s two-time MP Lallu Singh was defeated by Samajwadi Party’s Awdhesh Prasad. Despite emphasizing the construction of the Ram Mandir in its campaign, the BJP lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, central to its temple politics, due to dissatisfaction among local shopkeepers who felt betrayed.
Many locals, whose shops were demolished for the Ram Path, expressed their dissatisfaction through their votes. This discontent was a major factor in BJP’s defeat in Ayodhya. Many traders and residents felt the compensation they received was grossly inadequate.
