Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde With Shiv Sainiks To Visit Ayodhya Ram Mandir Today. Key Points

It is a new move by the Shiv Sena group led by Shinde to wrest control of the Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb's political legacy from the Uddhav Thackeray faction.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Source : Getty

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Shiv Sena MPs and MLAs, will visit Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya temple on Sunday. It is a new move by the Shiv Sena group led by Shinde to wrest control of the Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb's political legacy from the Uddhav Thackeray faction.

This is Shinde's first visit to Ayodhya after becoming Maharashtra chief minister in June 2022, with the Election Commission recognising his organisation as Shiv Sena and bestowing the "bow and arrow" electoral insignia on it.

Key Points

• Earlier on Saturday evening, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde arrived at Lucknow. 
• Shinde will go from Lucknow to Ayodhya on Sunday afternoon to perform a 'maha aarti' with others at the under-construction Ram temple and then at the Sharayu River in the evening.
• He will also pay a visit to the Ram temple building site and hold a news conference in Ayodhya on Sunday afternoon. According to his advisers, he will return to Mumbai on Sunday night.
• The Shiv Sena has practically reserved all of the hotels, guest houses, and dharamshalas to host Shiv Sena ministers, MPs, and MLAs.
• “Sadhus have organised programs in Ayodhya and we will participate in them. In the past, Sadhus were killed in Palghar, but now we will protect our Sadhus. A program is organised in Palghar too, I will attend that as well. In BJP and Shivsena govt, law and order will be maintained,” Shinde had earlier on Saturday told reporters in Mumbai.
• According to the itinerary, CM Shinde will travel to Shri Ram Katha Helipad Park in Ayodhya on Sunday and then drive to the hotel.
• "CM will drive from the hotel to Ram Mandir." He will also pay a visit to the Ram Mandir building site," it stated.
• Before taking departure from Mumbai, Shiv Sena leaders sang Jai Shree Ram, Jai Shivaji, and Shiv Sena Zindabad slogans.
• While addressing the press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, Shinde said, “We will be going to Ayodhya for Lord Ram’s blessings on April 9 and it’s a matter of belief and sentiments, we will perform Aarti… I still remember that Dharmveer Anand Dhigana had sent silver brick with Karsevark so we have old bonding with Ram Lalla… we will be visiting the temple also.”
• “We (Shiv Sena BJP) wanted to go to Ayodhya after getting the Bow and Arrow symbol. We will also meet UP CM Yogi Aditynath. We will perform Aarti at the Sarayu River,” he had added.