Maharashtra Minister Aditya Thackeray to visit Ayodhya today, arrives in Lucknow

Lucknow: Amid criticism from the Opposition, Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray is all set to visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. Thackeray, who arrived in Lucknow, will offer his prayers at the Ram Temple site.

“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’,” said Thackeray. 

Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut asserted that the visit of Thackeray to Ayodhya is not political instead it is for their faith. 

“Preparations for welcoming Shiv Sena have started in Ayodhya. Aaditya Thackeray will go to Ayodhya on June 10 along with Shiv Sena workers from across the country and will seek blessings there. It’s not at all political, it’s for our faith.” said Sanjay Raut. 

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”.

Shiv Sena formed the government in Maharashtra in alliance with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party after ending a decades-old alliance with the BJP.

Raj Thackeray was also scheduled to visit Ayodhya this month but the visit was cancelled for some reasons. 

(With inputs from ANI)