Shiv Sena leaders arrive in Ayodhya ahead of chief

Mumbai: Ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s November 25 visit to Ayodhya, the controversial site of Ram’s birthplace in Uttar Pradesh, his party colleagues have reached the city to carry out preparations. His personal assistant and man Friday Milind Narvekar, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and the party’s Thane strongman Eknath Shinde have reached Ayodhya.

Mr Thackeray in his annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park, Mumbai, declared that he would visit Ayodhya and Ram Janmabhoomi on November 25. He also told the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to build the temple or else he would initiate the process. Mr Thackeray also slammed the Union government for being inactive in matters related to the Hindu faith. In this backdrop, Mr Thackeray’s visit to Ayodhya has become a talking point in state politics.

To make Mr Thackeray’s visit a grand affair, the Shiv Sena has put three of its major leaders on the ground. Mr Narvekar, known as the ‘right hand’ of Mr Thackeray, went to Ayodhya on Wednesday morning and Mr Shinde, Mr Raut, MLC Anil Parab and others accompanied him. They discussed the itinerary of Mr Thackeray with the party’s local leaders. Mr Raut also met Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath last week regarding the same tour programme.

There are two speculations that are doing the rounds in political circles regarding Mr Thackeray’s visit. The first is that the Sena would be in alliance with the BJP and so it’s trying to find a strong Hindutva issue to get back into the National Democratic Alliance for a pre-poll tie-up. The other is that the Sena — which has already declared it would go it alone in the pools — does not want to lose its Hindutva-oriented votes to BJP and so taking an aggressive line on the Ram Mandir issue.

The BJP has been trying to make the Ram Mandir a talking point for the coming general elections.