BJP to go it alone in UP, Ram temple not on agenda: Sharma

BJP will leave aside contentious issues like Ram temple and focus on PM Narendra Modi's development agenda in the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh where it will not have any pre or post-poll alliance, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma, who played a significant role in the party's Lok Sabha victory in the state today said. He exuded confidence that BJP will get over 265 out of 403 seats.

Sharma, who was rewarded with a ministerial berth for his hard work in the Lok Sabha polls in UP, said BJP's focus during the campaign will be on development, good governance and rooting out corruption and not the Ram temple. He said the party would not like to make Ram temple a political issue.

"Construction of Ram temple is the wish of millions of people as a matter of faith. We do not want to make it a political issue. It is not on our political agenda. But people of this country want a Ram temple at Ayodhya. We want to do it (construct the temple) either by consensus mode or verdict by court of law," said Sharma.

As BJP shifts focus to the UP assembly polls due next year after its victory in Assam, Sharma said party leaders are considering the politically crucial state as a ‘special task that has to be accomplished’ but ruled out having truck with any party either before or after elections.