Top Asian News 4:59 a.m. GMT

India's Modi is set to open a controversial temple in Ayodhya in a grand event months before polls

AYODHYA, India (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday was set to open a contentious Hindu temple built on the ruins of an ancient mosque in the holy city of Ayodhya. The grand event, which will be attended by thousands, is expected to benefit the Indian leader in the polls just months before a general election. The inauguration of the temple, which is still under construction, is dedicated to Hinduism’s most revered deity Lord Ram. It fulfills a demand made by millions of Hindus for over 100 years and delivers on a crucial campaign pledge from Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.