Aditya Thackeray on Ayodhya visit today, says 'will offer prayers and receive blessings'

During his sojourn in Ayodhya, Aditya Thackeray will pray at the temple of Ram Lalla, visit the upcoming Lord Ram Temple being constructed and perform `Saryu aarti` in the evening.

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Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Maharashtra Minister Aditya Thackeray arrived in Lucknow on Wednesday (June 15) to visit Ayodhya to offer his prayers at the Ram Temple site. Thackeray scion told media persons, "When we came for the 1st time in 2018, we said 'pehle mandir, phir sarkaar'... I'll offer prayers and receive blessings... the land is not political, it's the land of 'Ram Rajya'." 

Aditya Thackeray's visit comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (NNS) had criticised Shiv Sena for "abandoning Hindutva". Raj Thackeray was also scheduled to visit Ayodhya this month but the visit was cancelled due to some reasons.

At the Lucknow airport, a large number of Shiv Sainiks accorded a warm welcome to Thackeray, carrying the party flags, and banners and raising full-throated cries of `Jai Shri Ram`. Hundreds of Sena activists from Maharashtra and also Uttar Pradesh are accompanying Thackeray Jr. who left Lucknow for Ayodhya with a long motorcade, in the high-profile and keenly watched visit.

During his sojourn in Ayodhya, Aditya will pray at the temple of Ram Lalla, visit the upcoming Lord Ram Temple being constructed and perform `Saryu aarti` in the evening. The trip follows a preparatory tour by Sena MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut, PWD Minister Eknath Shinde and others here on June 6, besides coordinating with the UP Shiv Sena leaders.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has earlier said that Aaditya Thackeray's Ayodhya visit is "not a political programme". Raut, who has been camping there since Tuesday, reiterated that the Sena has a long association with Ayodhya since the struggle for the temple started and even later. Raut further added, "We have immense faith in Lord Ram and our leaders or workers regularly come here... Praying at the Ram Lalla temple fills us with a divine energy."

Earlier, Uddhav Thackeray had come to Ayodhya when he was not holding any office and later paid a visit after becoming the Chief Minister. Shiv Sena formed the government in Maharashtra in alliance with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party after ending a decades-old alliance with the BJP.

(With ANI/IANS Inputs)