Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray to Hold Rally in Ayodhya After Dussehra
Although no date has been fixed, Uddhav Thackeray is likely to visit Ayodhya after Shiv Sena's Dussehra rally in Mumbai.
Mumbai, October 4: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will hold a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram. Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya after Dussehra. The significant political development comes after Janmejay Sharanji Maharaj, chief of Ram Janmabhoomi trust, met Thackeray on Sunday.
During their meeting, Maharaj reportedly sought help from Shiv Sena for the construction of Ram temple and invited Uddhav Thackeray to Ayodhya. Although no date has been fixed, Thackeray is likely to visit Ayodhya after Shiv Sena's Dussehra rally in Mumbai. Maharaj had said his trust needed Sena's assistance for the construction of Ram temple. Shiv Sena Hails Triple Talaq Ordinance, Wants Similar Route for Ram Temple at Ayodhya.
Political analysts see Thackeray's expected visit to Ayodhya as his attempt to appropriate the Hindutva agenda of its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This will be Thackeray's first rally in Ayodhya. He will also visit Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Raj Thackeray Likens Shiv Sena To Dog Who Doesn’t Know What To Do.
"Uddhavji said that he'd visit Ayodhya, address a rally and later visit Varanasi, where he'll participate in Ganga Aarti and offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. It's a small event. There's nothing more to it," Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was quoted as saying. Earlier, few hoardings were put up in Mumbai calling Shiv Sainiks to visit Ayodhya and Varanasi.
Earlier, the Shiv Sena chief had accepted West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Mamata Banerjee's invite to participate in her mega rally in Kolkata in January 2019. Mamata is a known critic of the Modi government.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 04, 2018 09:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).