Neither Congress nor SP any challenge to us, entire country is 'Ram-may': UP BJP chief

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary on Thursday said neither the Congress nor the Samajwadi Party are any challenge to his party and the entire country is today "Ram-may" -- immersed in the devotion of Lord Ram.

"Neither the Samajwadi Party (SP) nor the Congress are a challenge. You can see that the entire state and country is 'Ram-may'," the BJP state president said when asked if these parties were coming up as a challenge to his party.

Chaudhary was talking to reporters while on his way to participate in a meeting of the party to discuss preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram Temple slated for January 22.

"All senior leaders are participating in the meeting to discuss what works and schemes have to be chalked out in view of the upcoming elections and give them a final shape," he said.

Asked about Akhilesh Yadav convening a meeting of Assembly unit presidents of the SP, Chaudhary termed the leaders of the main opposition Samajwadi Party as "seasonal people" who become active only at election time.

"They are seasonal people and step up their activities at election time while we have a permanent arrangement and have continuously kept working and going to people with our work," he said.

BJP leader and state's Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi also reiterated that the entire country today is "Ram-may".

Reacting on the Congress leaders declining the invitation to the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, Shahi said, "They have never had faith in Lord Ram, termed him as 'kalpnik' (imaginary) or a 'katha' (story). Bhagwan Ram belongs to everyone." Nobody holds any patent on him, he added.

Speaking about the meeting, another leader Narendra Kashyap said the party has decided that all 80 seats have to be won in the coming elections with people's blessings. Deliberations have to be held on every seat on how to ensure victory, he further said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has continuously worked for the rights and participation of backwards. The entire OBC is standing unitedly behind the BJP and will play an important role in ensuring victory on all seats," Kashyap said, adding that there is no challenge to the BJP as all -- SP, BSP, RLD and Congress -- have been rejected by people.