Amid the ongoing controversy over alleged embezzlement in the offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya which overshadows the political horizons ahead of the 2027 UP assembly elections, chief minister Yogi Adityanath met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath with Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on July 14. (Soured)

Yogi was closeted with Shah for nearly 40 minutes. No official account of the meeting was made available to the media and an official spokesman described the meeting between the two leaders as a courtesy call.

Yogi in a post on X called the meeting a courtesy call and left for Lucknow soon after. “Today, I paid a courtesy visit to the Hon’ble Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji in New Delhi. Heartfelt thanks for providing your valuable time @AmitShah,” the CM said in a post in Hindi after the meeting.

Much significance is being attached to the meeting between the two leaders as it comes amid attacks and counter attacks between the ruling party leaders and the opposition over the alleged embezzlement in the offerings at the Ram temple.

The meeting also comes a day after the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government, seeking a response on pleas for an independent, court-monitored probe into the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram temple.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana sought a status report of the SIT probe ordered by the UP government. The apex court also sought a response from Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust which manages the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Both the leaders may have discussed the issue of the BJP’s organisational restructuring which is expected to take place soon. National BJP president Nitin Nabin also visited the state early this month and discussed various organisational issues with Yogi and others.