NEW DELHI, Aug 1: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who recently said peace with Pakistan was his last wish before retiring from politics, added a controversial temple in Ayodhya to his list of do or die promises as crucial elections loomed.

Mr Vajpayee told mourners at the funeral of a Hindu religious leader that he would fulfil the dying man’s wish by building a temple on the disputed Ayodhya site.

He was speaking at the funeral in Ayodhya of Ramchandra Das Paramhans, who spearheaded a hardline Hindu campaign to build the temple on the site where the 16th century Babri mosque once stood.

“I’m confident all hurdles in the path of construction of the temple will be removed and the temple will be built,” Mr Vajpayee said in remarks beamed on several TV channels.