New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that PM Modi has made the dream of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya come true by beginning the construction of the temple. Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, accompanied by other Shiv Sena and BJP leaders, on Sunday offered prayers at Ram Lalla Tempe in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.
Shinde stated that it was Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's dream to see a grand Ram temple come up in Ayodhya.
"It was Balasaheb Thackeray's and millions of Ram devotees' dream to build a grand divine Ram temple in Ayodhya... PM Modi has made this dream come true by beginning the construction of the Ram temple," Shinde said after offering prayers.
During his one-day visit to Ayodhya, he will also oversee the ongoing construction work of the temple and meet saints. Notably, this is the first visit of Shinde to Ayodhya after being sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra in June last year, reported PTI.
Later in the evening he will attend ‘Maha Aarti’ at the Saryu river bank and will head to Lucknow to meet UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Shinde and Fadnavis performing aarti at Ram Temple in Ayodhya
Thousands of Shiv Sainiks have also reached the city and almost all hotels, guest houses, and dharamshalas in the temple town have been booked to accommodate Shiv Sena ministers, MPs and MLAs.
Earlier, Shinde had visited Ayodhya as a Shiv Sena leader on November 25, 2018, a year before the Supreme Court announced the verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute.
He also visited Ayodhya in March 2020 and June last year.
(With agency inputs)