Shiv Sena demanded that government formulate a new law for construction of Ram templeMumbai: The Shiv Sena said Saturday the renaming of cities in Uttar Pradesh by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was a "lollipop" to lure voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year.The party, in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', also slammed the chief minister over his announcement about the construction of a statue of Lord Ram, saying the government was playing the Ayodhya card to mislead people as it has failed on all fronts."Yogi Adityanath has announced that a statue of Lord Ram will be made in Ayodhya.

He has also renamed Faizabad (district) as Ayodhya and had earlier rechristened Allahabad as Prayagraj.

However, the demand of hundreds of martyred kar sevaks was for a Ram temple, not his statue," the party said."However, the government only gave a new name to Faizabad and a statue.

This is a lollipop given by the BJP in view of the upcoming general elections," it added.The Sena demanded that the government formulate a new law in Parliament to pave the way for the construction of Ram temple."There are already many statues of Lord Ram in the world.

Indonesia, Mauritius, Nepal have huge statues of Lord Ram.

However, the demand is that the government free Lord Ram from the jail of Ayodhya and place him in a temple," the editorial claimed.