Udupi : Vishwesha Theertha Swami of Pejawar Mutt has urged the elected representatives to join hands and raise voice in favour of construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The Swamiji told mediapersons on Friday that everyone, irrespective of the party affiliations, should support the idea of the construction of Ram Mandir. He said that all the newly elected MPs, including AICC President Rahul Gandhi, should support the cause of construction of the temple.

“Consolidation of Hindu votes helped BJP to come to power again,” he said while replying to queries on the reasons behind the BJP’s thumping victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. The seer said most of the political parties, including Congress, raised voice against Hindutva ideology.

This made the Hindus to unite and vote against the Congress. Political parties did not make development issues an election agenda and were only maligning the ‘Hindutva’ ideology. Thus religious rhetoric should not be the main election issue during the election.

“Development issues should be the fundamental election issue,” the seer stressed.

Vishwesha Theertha Swami said the political parties should have fought independently without having truck with other parties. Kashmir issue should be sorted out and peace has to be restored. Agriculture sector should be prioritised by Modi-led central government, he added.

The seer, who returned from Modi’s swearing- in ceremony in New Delhi on Friday, said the ceremony was good and well organised.