Flagging off a train to Ayodhya from Thane on Friday afternoon, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asserted that its a big day for Shiv Sena workers and Ram devotees.
Speaking to reporters in Thane, Shinde said, “ Today is a big day for our workers and Ram devotees. Today 2 trains have left from here for Ayodhya, one from Thane & one from Nashik. More than 3000 Ram devotees have left by train.”
Shinde all set to visit Ayodhya
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with a team of saffron party MLAs and MPs, is gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls. This weekend, he is scheduled to visit the temple town of Ayodhya to seek blessings from Lord Ram and meet with his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow.
This will be Shinde's first visit to Ayodhya since he overthrew the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government with the help of BJP in June 2022. The Election Commission later recognized Shinde's group as the legitimate Shiv Sena and allocated the bow and arrow symbol to them.
Maharashtra CM to perform Maha Aarti at Sarayu river
On Saturday evening, Shinde will fly to Lucknow and stay overnight at the Government Guest House. The following morning, the group will drive to Ayodhya, where Shinde will perform Maha Aarti at the Shri Ram Temple and visit the Ram Temple construction site. Later, he is expected to address a press conference and seek blessings from saints and mahants at Laxman Killa. In the evening, he will perform Maha Aarti at the Sarayu river.
After the Ayodhya visit, Shinde will return to Lucknow to meet Yogi Adityanath over dinner. Shiv Sena spokesperson and deputy leader Krishna Hegde revealed that thousands of Shiv Sena leaders and workers would also be visiting Ayodhya.
The visit is particularly significant as teak wood from Chandrapur district in Maharashtra was recently sent to Ayodhya for the construction of the temple's main doors, inside doors, entrance to the sanctum sanctorum, and other floors. The wood is being provided through the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (FDCM).
