Akhilesh aims to shed ‘anti-Hindu’ tag with Kedareshwar move before UP polls

With an eye firmly on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is preparing to inaugurate the newly-constructed Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple on his home turf in Etawah this August.

Inspired by the iconic Uttarakhand's Kedarnath Shiva shrine, the timing of the temple's grand opening, just months before the state assembly elections scheduled for next year, has raised questions. Akhilesh himself has described the construction of the Kedarnath replica as a "decision born of divine inspiration and faith."

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However, it is being widely debated whether this is Akhilesh's ‘soft Hindutva’ push in response to Yogi Adityanath's ‘hard Hindutva’ stance?

Or, is Akhilesh using this pretext to woo Hindu voters ahead of the 2027 elections to prove that the BJP's accusation of Samajwadi Party (SP) being "anti-Hindu", an accusation which dates back to the time of Mulayam Singh Yadav, is baseless? This discussion over Akhilesh's motives behind constructing the temple has already begun swirling in Uttar Pradesh's political circles.

Temple inauguration

Etawah, where the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple is built, is a SP stronghold.

The inauguration is scheduled to be held on Sawan Shivratri (August 11), in the sacred month of Shravan (July and August). On this day, a 'Kumbha Abhishekam' will be performed at the temple, and Akhilesh Yadav, along with his wife, SP MP Dimple Yadav, will offer prayers at the temple.

The way the BJP has been portraying the Samajwadi Party as anti-Hindu sentiments on every occasion, it is difficult for the SP to do politics with that narrative at this time.

Akhilesh Yadav had laid the foundation stone for the temple in March 2021 ahead of the UP Assembly elections. Even then, it was seen as Akhilesh's attempt at soft Hindutva politics. However, due to the SP's political landscape and image, this matter remained largely undiscussed. But, the SP has witnessed many changes in the past five years.

Today, Akhilesh Yadav is not relying solely on the SP's old and traditional formula of Muslim + Yadav (M+Y), but appears to be also embracing a new electoral caste equation, the ‘Backwards Dalit Minority’ (PDA). By combining non-Yadav OBCs and Dalit castes together, he is banking on this caste formula to be beneficial for him in the elections.

Against this backdrop, Akhilesh's decision to build the temple and send a message to the voters is viewed as a significant move.

Hindutva with PDA equation

Akhilesh Yadav knows only too well that any step he takes regarding the Kedareshwar temple will become a point of religious and political debate.

Recently, on Ram Navami, Akhilesh Yadav released a photo of the installation of the Ram Lalla idol at the Kedareshwar temple, sparking speculation over Akhilesh’s PDA equation. It was alleged that the SP leader does not want the PDA's equation to break at any cost, and hence, before the UP assembly elections, he has reached out to the Hindu voters through the temple.

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UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya took a dig at Akhilesh Yadav and posted on social media that 'First building the temple out of fear of BJP and now discussing the installation of the idol of Lord Shri Ram Lalla, this is the face of opportunistic politics of the Samajwadi Party.'

The SP retaliated on this issue and supported Akhilesh Yadav.

The party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand said, "SP has never done temple-mosque politics. Whereas the BJP are the one who does temple-mosque politics, and every small and big leader of the BJP has formally asked for votes in the name of the temple. The national president (Akhilesh Yadav) has already said that this is a matter of faith and according to the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar, everyone has the right to follow their faith and religion. Akhilesh Yadav believes in Sanatan Dharma, and he is building a temple. Why should anyone object to this? He is not asking for votes from anyone in the name of the temple."

‘Soft Hindutva' or counter politics?

To the question whether Akhilesh is peddling 'soft Hindutva' in response to Yogi's 'hard Hindutva' politics or whether this temple construction is meant to counter BJP's portrayal of SP as pro-Muslim and anti-Hindu, political analysts believe this move is definitely sending a signal to voters.

Obviously, the big temple built on 50 bighas in Etawah, will create a political stir before the elections.

Political analysts say that Akhilesh Yadav's faith is a different matter, but through this, he is definitely trying to reach out to voters. The way the BJP has been portraying the SP as anti-Hindu on every occasion, it is difficult for the SP to do politics with that image during elections. In fact, due to SP's dependence on Muslim voters, there were many occasions when this narrative about the party stuck. But for Akhilesh Yadav, who has not been in power for the past nine ears, it has now become vital to break this narrative.

Lack of upper caste leaders

In fact, the BJP has been raising issues such as the Mulayam Singh Yadav government's decision to open fire on karsevaks during the Ram Mandir movement, Akhilesh Yadav's support for madrasas and the withdrawal of cases against youth involved in terrorist activities.

Also read: Why UP’s Brahmins are the eye of 2027 electoral storm

Therefore, Akhilesh Yadav is keen to shatter this image of a pro-Muslim SP.

Political analyst Dr Mahendra Pratap Singh said, "Akhilesh is talking about the PDA, but he knows that if he emphasises it too much, it will alienate upper caste Hindus. That is why he entrusted the responsibility of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly to a Brahmin leader like Mata Prasad Pandey. While these castes may be few in number, they play a significant role in setting the agenda and shaping the narrative. Therefore, it is impossible for any political party to ignore them... And just as Mulayam Singh Yadav had leaders like Janeshwar Mishra and Mohan Singh, Akhilesh Yadav does not have such leaders. Therefore, he will have to resort to such symbolic acts."

Banking on Hindutva

Meanwhile, after losing the Lok Sabha elections to the PDA group, the BJP has become increasingly aggressive about Hindutva in the state. Yogi Adityanath is now even more vocal about Hindutva than he was in his first term. Akhilesh, therefore, wants to integrate Hindutva with caste dynamics in the upcoming state elections.

One reason for this is the SP's success in the Lok Sabha elections. While the SP received the support and votes of many OBC and Dalit castes, it defeated the BJP and even sent an MP from Ayodhya to Parliament. The SP, thus pins its hopes on the PDA in the upcoming assembly elections. Additionally, both Mayawati and Akhilesh want to capitalise on issues like the Brahmin community's displeasure with the Yogi government.

Also read: In 2027, can Mayawati revive BSP’s 2007 formula in Uttar Pradesh?

Political analysts say that if the SP wants to gain the support of all castes, it will have to break away from its old image. The SP's anti-Hindu image could be a hindrance. Therefore, the BJP's accusations against Akhilesh for not visiting the Ram Temple could be countered by building the temple in Etawah.

Significance of 'symbols'

Senior journalist Pradeep Kapoor explained that Akhilesh Yadav wants to convey the message that he is taking everyone along. He said, "Performing puja and building temples may be a matter of religious belief, but symbols also hold great significance in politics. Akhilesh Yadav is constantly trying to break the narrative created by the BJP, which has persisted for nearly three decades about the SP."

Also read: Shankaracharya row flares again; Akhilesh Yadav strikes back after Yogi’s remarks

Recently, during Navratri, pictures of Dimple Yadav's Kanya Pujan were widely seen on social media. On Holi, Akhilesh organised a "gujhiya and senvai" party to drive home the message to the people. Before that, he was vocal on the Shankaracharya issue and made repeated statements.

Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple

The Kedareshwar Temple, being built on the banks of the Yamuna River in Etawah, is constructed on the lines of the Kedarnath Temple.

This has caused a lot of controversy. It is being built in the traditional South Indian temple style, using no iron or steel, with stones fitted together instead It is constructed using the famous Krishna Shila stones from South India, with artisans from Tamil Nadu carving the structure.

To honour the Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, this temple is being constructed one inch lower than the Kedarnath Temple. The main temple is modelled after the Kedarnath Temple, while the rest of the complex is similar to the Brihadeshwara Temple of Thanjavur. An idol of the child form of Lord Ram Lalla has also been installed in this temple.