Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya only to polarise votes, makes no sense: Congress

MUMBAI: The Congress on Tuesday attacked Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray for his planned visit to Ayodhya on November 25. The party said that the issue over Ram temple has been raised only to polarise voters.

"Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya makes no sense. People realise that there are elections in 5 states and this is just an attempt to polarise votes. People realise that this issue has been raised only for political benefits," Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan said.

Attempting to score a point on the Ram Temple issue, Thackeray had announced that he will visit the Ayodhya site in November to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the party's promise of constructing a grand Ram temple.

Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the PM, Thackeray had said that there was no "wave" in the country like the one in 2014.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party had recently attacked the BJP claiming that losses in polls will infuse a "fresh lease of life" in the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In an editorial laced with sarcasm in its party mouthpiece "Saamana", the Sena said BJP probably lost in Karnataka for ignoring poll promises like construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and for "imposing some other agenda".

Sena has been saying that the courts will not do anything in the Ram temple matter. "We are not paying attention to what the Supreme Court verdict (on Ram temple issue) is and what date it gives (for the verdict). We don't want to pay attention. The court won't do anything in the Ram temple matter. We did not ask the court before demolishing the Babri structure 25 years ago," party leader Sanjay Raut said.

"Our hundreds and thousands of 'kar sevaks' did not become shaheed (martyr) after seeking court permission. We have not started any movement on Ayodhya after seeking the court nod. We feel that there should be a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. We are not demanding a Ram temple in Pakistan but in Prabhu Shri Ram's Ayodhya. Uddhav Thackeray will go to Ayodhya and put forth his views on the Ram Mandir before people of the country," Raut added.