Lucknow, Oct. 11 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday challenged Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav to contest the forthcoming assembly election in Uttar Pradesh from Ayodhya, offering a direct electoral fight to settle as to who had greater political strength. He was responding to the challenge that the SP chief had thrown at him on Thursday (October 8) to contest the upcoming assembly elections from Ayodhya. Yadav had claimed the BJP was struggling to finalise a candidate and is trailing in successive surveys. "Come, you too file your nomination from Ayodhya, and I will also file my nomination from there. Let us test our luck once and settle the matter. You come and I will come too," Adityanath said, targeting the former chief minister at a public function in Balrampur where he unveiled development projects worth Rs 803 crore for the district. Within an hour of Yogi throwing down the gauntlet, Akhilesh Yadav rejected the challenge for a direct contest, making light of it. Taking to X, Yadav said, "A young PDA Prahari (sentinel) could defeat those involved in looting the temple-town donations." He further said that Ayodhya's women would make up the remaining difference, referring to those who, he alleged, had witnessed the public humiliation of a grieving mother by "arrogant" people. Meanwhile, taking a dig at the SP chief, Yogi said those who bowed before the mafia could not challenge him. "Can people who offer prayers at the graves of mafia take us on?" he asked. Reiterating his personal and political commitment to Ayodhya, Yogi said he visited the temple town repeatedly and regarded it as a sacred place of faith and devotion. He asserted that there would be no laxity in development there. "Ayodhya is not merely a city but a centre of faith and devotion," he said, emphasising that development projects in the town must continue without any interruption. Further targeting the SP, Yogi said those who had earlier opposed the chanting of "Jai Shri Ram" were now questioning the development of Ayodhya. He also accused the Opposition of opposing the development of Ayodhya, Kashi and Maa Vindhyavasini Dham, alleging that such opposition amounted to resistance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development vision. The chief minister said the government was committed to preserving the state's religious heritage while expanding roads, education, healthcare and other basic infrastructure. He maintained that development in Ayodhya remained a priority and would continue alongside efforts to improve facilities across the state. He also referred to the development work undertaken in Balrampur, saying that around Rs 10,000 crore had been allocated for projects in the district over the past decade. The latest projects worth Rs 803 crore, he said would further accelerate development in the region. He assured people there would be no shortage of funds for development and said the government would work to meet the needs of farmers, traders, and women. During the programme, he also distributed cheques to beneficiaries of various government schemes. On October 8, speaking at a Bhagwat Katha event at the residence of the SP's Ayodhya candidate Tej Narayan alias Pawan Pandey, Akhilesh Yadav said the party's early announcement of its nominee has unsettled the BJP. "We hear they are unable to find a new candidate for Ayodhya. If the chief minister who makes tall claims is so confident, he should contest from Ayodhya himself," he said. Adityanath said the government would not allow people like Chhangur to flourish in the border areas of Uttar Pradesh, asserting that no one would be permitted to engage in smuggling, illegal activities or demographic changes. Jalaluddin Shah alias Chhangur Baba is accused of masterminding a large-scale religious conversion racket in Balrampur. He was arrested last year....