Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted a 22-foot saffron flag at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir on Tuesday as part of the traditional Dhwaj Arohan ceremony, held in the presence of sadhus, dignitaries and members of the Ram Janambhoomi Trust.

Ceremony marks Vivah Panchami Muhurat

The religious flag, triangular in shape and carrying the symbol of the Sun alongside ‘Om’, was installed atop a shikhar built in the Nagara architectural style. The ceremony coincided with the Muhurat of Ram and Sita’s Vivah Panchami, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

A statement from the PMO also highlighted that the date marks the martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who meditated in Ayodhya for 48 hours in the 17th century.

Rituals performed by 108 Acharyas

The rituals were carried out by 108 Acharyas from Ayodhya, Kashi and South India under the guidance of noted Kashi scholar Ganeshwar Shastri.

Access to the temple was restricted during the ceremony, with only invited guests allowed entry using QR-coded passes till 2.30 pm.

Ayodhya prepares for high-profile event

Ahead of the programme, the city was extensively prepared with cleaning drives, new stop signs and sanitation measures. The trust expects around 6,000 invited guests for the event.

Prime Minister Modi had earlier presided over the consecration of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, and laid the foundation stone for the temple in August 2020, following the Supreme Court’s ruling that allocated the 2.77-acre land for the construction.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Ayodhya today for the ceremonial hoisting of the Ram temple’s sacred flag, marking a significant religious occasion for the newly built shrine.

PM to lead ‘Dhwaj Arohan’ ceremony

According to details shared, the Prime Minister will perform the ‘Dhwaj Arohan’ ritual by hoisting a 22-foot saffron flag atop one of the temple’s shikhars. The flag features the Sun symbol, representing radiance, energy and qualities associated with Lord Ram, along with the sacred ‘Om’ inscription.

The ceremony coincides with the Muhurat of Ram and Sita’s Vivah Panchami. A statement from the Prime Minister’s office also highlighted that the day marks the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, who meditated in Ayodhya for 48 hours in the 17th century.

Strict arrangements and limited entry

The rituals will be conducted by 108 Acharyas from Ayodhya, Kashi and South India under the guidance of Kashi scholar Ganeshwar Shastri. Entry to the temple will remain restricted to invited guests carrying QR-coded passes until 2.30 pm.

The city has been extensively prepared for the event with cleaned roads, new signages and sanitation drives. Nearly 6,000 guests are expected to attend.

PM Modi had presided over the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, and laid the foundation stone of the temple in August 2020 after the Supreme Court awarded the 2.77-acre land for its construction.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved swiftly from its sweeping victory in Bihar to preparing for its next major battle — the West Bengal Assembly election scheduled for March-April next year. According to information shared with media, the party is recalibrating its approach with an emphasis on undermining the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) ground-level strength rather than relying on high-profile defections.

BJP targets TMC’s grassroots to counter Mamata Banerjee

With plans to challenge Mamata Banerjee once again, the BJP intends to concentrate on Trinamool cadres who are not firmly aligned with Abhishek Banerjee. The party believes this segment could be susceptible to shifting loyalties and may help weaken the ruling party’s booth-level reach.

Even as the BJP prepares to question ‘dynastic politics’ in Bengal by highlighting Abhishek Banerjee’s prominence, the broader strategy remains rooted in boosting its cadre-based presence rather than replicating the pre-2021 influx of TMC defectors.

No major push for turncoats this time

Before the 2021 Assembly polls, the BJP had brought in several senior Trinamool leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, who went on to defeat Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram. But party leaders now believe more defections will not significantly impact vote share. Instead, inducting grassroots workers is seen as a safer, more effective alternative that won’t create internal friction among BJP’s existing leadership ranks.

Caste arithmetic replaced with regional, religious balance

The BJP’s sweeping performance in Bihar was built on a carefully planned caste matrix. However, Bengal’s political landscape differs considerably, with caste playing a limited role. The party is expected to focus on regional dynamics and religious polarisation instead.

While Muslim voters constitute roughly 30% of the state’s population, their electoral influence is concentrated in a limited number of seats. The BJP hopes that Hindu consolidation in other regions could give it a competitive advantage.

‘Outsider’ narrative likely to intensify

The BJP is expected to continue pressing its charge that illegal migration from Bangladesh has altered electoral patterns in the state. Meanwhile, the Trinamool has long branded the BJP as an ‘outsider’ force. This narrative battle is expected to shape much of the campaign.

BJP eyes 160-170 seats, plans careful candidate selection

Over the last two Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has crossed the 100-seat mark in total seats won across Bengal. The party now aims to convert this base into a larger Assembly footprint, targeting 160–170 seats. For this, candidate selection will be critical — an area where the leadership wants to avoid the issues that arose after the wave of defections in 2021.

Strong presence in north and south Bengal

The BJP continues to hold strong ground in north and south Bengal, regions where it has consistently gained vote share. Its best performance so far came in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when it secured 18 seats with over 40% vote share. However, the party recently witnessed a decline after losing six of its 12 seats in the latest national election.

To surpass the Trinamool’s peak vote share of around 48%, the BJP will need to secure an additional six per cent of votes — a challenge that will heavily test its organisational strength in the months leading to the election.