A local BJP leader in Ayodhya, Dr BD Dwivedi, died on Saturday after his family claims they faced delays due to multiple barricades while trying to reach a hospital. The family alleges they were stopped at various checkpoints and their pleas to open the barriers went unanswered, ultimately delaying their arrival at the hospital by two hours. While the Mayor of Ayodhya, Girish Pati Tripathi, has announced efforts to arrange ambulances at various locations for medical emergencies, the incident has sparked criticism of the administration for prioritizing security over the needs of local residents.
Security has been heightened around the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya following an alleged threat from pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The founder of the banned outfit 'Sikhs for Justice' reportedly threatened to attack the temple on November 16-17, coinciding with the 'Ram Vivah' festival. Ayodhya has been fortified with increased police presence, surveillance, and anti-terror measures.
Alleging negligence in the construction of the temple, Das claimed that there was also no arrangement for the drainage of rainwater from the temple premises after the showers on Saturday midnight.
The three-day celebrations began on Saturday with a recital of Yajurveda and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performing an 'abhishek' on the Ram Lalla idol.
An independent Muslim candidate has secured a surprise victory in a ward in the Hindutva nerve centre of Ayodhya in the civic election results declared on Saturday.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party won the mayoral elections in 10 of the 17 municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh, results for which were announced on Saturday, virtually adding a third engine to its "double-engine" government.
As the dust finally settles on the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 and Bharatiya Janata Party along with its NDA allies emerges as the clear winner, here is a list of who won in each of the 7 phases of elections.
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