In his first visit after becoming Maharashtra Chief Minister in June last year, Eknath Shinde will be reaching Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on April 9 along with MPs, MLAs and thousands of activists from his Shiv Sena faction. Leaders such as Girish Mahajan from his ruling ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are also expected to join the CM as he attempts to burnish his Hindutva credentials.
According to sources, Mr. Shinde is likely to meet his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath on Sunday.
Thousands of the Shinde camp’s Sena workers from across the State left for Ayodhya on Friday to reach the city in advance of the CM’s entry. Mr. Shinde personally went to the Thane railway station to see off his party workers.
“I will be leaving for Ayodhya tomorrow [Saturday]… One has seen enthusiasm writ large on the faces of thousands of Shiv Sainiks leaving today… It was [late Shiv Sena founder] Bal Thackeray’s dream that a massive Ram Temple should come up in Ayodhya. I thank PM Modi for fulfilling that dream,” said Mr. Shinde.
Taking a jibe at his rival, Sena (UBT) chief and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray, Mr. Shinde said: “I am a Chief Minister of ordinary party workers. I am not one to merely issue orders and sit at home. Hence, I came to see them off at Thane railway station.”
Over the past year, the holy site of Ayodhya has been a hotbed of competing Hindutva parties including the undivided Shiv Sena led by Mr. Thackeray, the BJP, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and now the Shinde-led Sena.
A grand welcome has been prepared in Ayodhya for Mr. Shinde, who seized power in an intra-party coup in June last year. Large banners have been erected throughout the city featuring the Maharashtra CM, who will visiting the under-construction Ram Temple. The CM will also offer prayers at Hanuman Garhi Temple and perform evening aarti on the banks of the Saryu river.
Trip with Aaditya
Incidentally, Mr. Shinde was part of Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s group during the latter’s visit to Ayodhya on June 15 last year. Barely two weeks later, he staged a revolt which split the Shiv Sena leadership and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the State.
