Shiv Sainiks have started pouring into Ayodhya, ahead of their party President and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's scheduled visit to the holy city on Saturday.
A special train bringing Shiv Sainiks from Mumbai will be reaching Ayodhya on Friday evening while Shiv Sainiks from various districts in UP have started reaching Ayodhya.
Uddhav Thackeray will be visiting Ayodhya on Saturday to offer prayers on completing of his 100 days in office. He is expected to be accompanied by wife Rashmi Thackeray and son and minister Aditya Thackeray.
Thackeray, who assumed office on November 28, 2019, is visiting Ayodhya, a month after the Centre constituted a trust to oversee construction of a Ram temple at the once disputed site in the town.
Sena sources said that some more ministers and party functionaries will be coming to Ayodhya along with the chief minister.
Political analysts opine that by visiting Ayodhya after becoming chief minister , Uddhav Thackeray wants to send a clear message that he has not given up on his Hindutva agenda even though he runs a government in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.
The state unit of Shiv Sena, meanwhile, said that the Thackeray family would be arriving on Saturday morning by a state aircraft and would go straight to the Ram Janambhoomi temple to offer prayers.
The Maharashtra chief minister may address a press conference before returning to Mumbai.
Meanwhile, the special train bringing Shiv Sainiks from Mumbai has been booked by an individual through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) from Mumbai to Ayodhya and return.
The return train will leave for Mumbai on Saturday night.
WhatsApp messages were in circulation among Shiv Sainiks asking party members to board the special train at designated halts if they wanted to visit Ayodhya.
In November 2018, Uddhav Thackeray had first visited Ayodhya with his family. At that time, his party had booked two special trains – one from Mumbai and another from Nashik — for bringing Shiv Sainiks.
