The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday slammed the "publicity" around the Ayodhya visit of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and also ridiculed relentless media updates on the latter's programme. The remarks came as Shinde is slated to visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh by helicopter on Sunday after arriving in Lucknow later in the evening on Saturday.
"When I offer prayers anywhere, I do not create such publicity. The CM is visiting there to seek blessings. There is no need for such updates like he has arrived, he is at the airport, his flight has taken off, etc," Pawar told reporters, as quoted by news agency PTI.
The former Maharashtra deputy chief minister said there are pressing issues related to unemployment, crime, and farmers' distress that deserve more attention.
This is Eknath Shinde's first such visit after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in June last year.
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Eknath Shinde's Ayodhya Visit, Thousands Of Shiv Sainiks Are Expected To Arrive In Special Trains
As thousands of Shiv Sainiks are expected to accompany Shinde on his Ayodhya visit, almost all hotels, guest houses and dharamshalas in the temple town have been booked to accommodate Shiv Sena ministers, MPs and MLAs who will arrive in Ayodhya on Saturday, PTI reported.
The Shiv Sena has prepared a plan to highlight Shinde's visit to Ayodhya across the country.
According to the official programme issued by the Maharashtra government, Shinde will reach Lucknow on Saturday evening and stay there for the night. On Sunday morning, he will reach Ayodhya by helicopter and land at the banks of the Saryu River.
Maharashtra Chief Minister's spokesperson Viraj Mulaye told PTI, "The Maharashtra chief minister will be arriving in Lucknow on Saturday and will visit Ayodhya on Sunday, where he will offer prayers at the Hanumangarhi temple and the Ram temple. He will also see the ongoing construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and perform the evening 'aarti' on the banks of the Saryu river."
"He will also meet the seers of Ayodhya and address a press conference. He will return to Mumbai on Sunday after finishing all his scheduled programmes in Ayodhya," Mulaye informed.
Shinde will spend about nine hours in the temple town.
On Friday, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said that Ayodhya was a place of utmost faith for him and his supporters.
Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray wanted to see a grand Ram temple come up in Ayodhya, he said while flagging off a special train carrying Shiv Sainiks to the temple town amid chants of 'Jai Shri Ram'.
The special train was beautifully decorated with a 'Chalo Ayodhya' board mounted in the front.
Another train carrying Shiv Sainiks left for Ayodhya from Nashik, Shinde told reporters.
Over 3,000 devotees have left for the temple town in these two trains, which will reach the final destination on Saturday, he had said.
Meanwhile, speaking on the by-polls to the Pune Lok Sabha seat following the death of BJP's Girish Bapat, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said that his party will spell out its role after the Election Commission announces the schedule.