With Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath likely to announce a 151-metre tall Lord Ram statue in Ayodhya, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on Saturday welcomed the idea.

He said, "Why did this thought not occur at the time of building the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel? Why would anybody oppose (the building of Lord Ram's statue)? I would want an even taller statue of Lord Ram in Rampur."

The announcement in this regard will be made during the Deepawali festivities to be organised the next week when Adityanath will be in Ayodhya.

Reportedly, saints in Ayodhya have been pressing for construction of a statue of Lord Ram similar to that of Statue of Unity.

Located on Sadhu-Bet Island, Gujarat, the 182-metre tall statue of Unity occupies over 20,000 square metres and is surrounded by a 12 square km artificial lake.

The Statue was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India.

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