Akhilesh Yadav Challenges Yogi Adityanath to Contest Ayodhya Seat

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav challenged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to contest the upcoming Assembly elections from Ayodhya. During a visit to the city on October 8, 2026, Yadav claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party is nervous and struggling to select a candidate for the seat following the Samajwadi Party's victory in the 2024 parliamentary elections.

Yadav criticized the current administration's use of demolitions for development, promising that under a future Samajwadi government, citizens would not face discrimination and their homes or shops would not be demolished. He pledged to accelerate the development of Ayodhya to achieve international recognition.

As part of his campaign platform, Yadav promised that a future Samajwadi government would provide 40,000 rupees in annual monetary assistance to women. He suggested that if the Chief Minister is confident in his claims, he should contest the election from Ayodhya himself.