Raj Thackeray postpones Ayodhya visit

For reasons yet unknown, the much-awaited Ayodhya visit of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray has been postponed for now. Raj (53) was expected to visit the temple town in Uttar Pradesh on June 5.

Raj, in a tweet, confirmed that the visit to Ayodhya stands postponed. “The Ayodhya visit is postponed for now,” his tweet read.

The MNS chief is expected to elaborate on the reasons for the postponement on Sunday when he addresses a rally at the Ganesh Kala Krida Kendra in Pune. While he chose to keep mum on the reasons for the temporary postponement, his tweet comes amid reports that he is unwell.

A hoarding warning of strong repercussions across Maharashtra if Raj Thackeray came to any harm cropped up in south-central Mumbai, ahead of the MNS chief's Ayodhya visit next month.

"Entire Maharashtra will rise up in rage if even a strand of Raj Thackeray's hair is harmed," said a hoarding put up by MNS functionary Santosh Nalwade in the Lalbaug area. It featured photographs of Thackeray, his son Amit and MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar.

Earlier, Nandgaonkar had issued a similar warning after he received a letter threatening Raj Thackeray. The letter followed Thackeray's `ultimatum' to the Maharashtra government in April to remove loudspeakers from mosques in the state. The MNS chief's demand about mosque loudspeakers -- supported by the main opposition BJP --, as well as his scheduled visit to Ayodhya, are being seen as an attempt to corner the ruling Shiv Sena which professes to be pro-Hindutva.

BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh recently demanded that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief first apologise for `humiliating' north Indians in the past before visiting the city.

Singh, who is also the President of the Wrestling Federation of India, and has a considerable following, has made it clear that he would not allow Raj to step into the holy land.

BJP’s coalition partner in Bihar the JD(U), too, opposed his visit to Ayodhya.

Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “I got to know from the media that the other party (MNS) cancelled some programs in Ayodhya. We would have supported them. After all, there's a huge section of Shiv Sena supporters in Ayodhya….He is being used by the BJP. Some people understand it late”.

At the same time, Raut added that Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray would visit Ayodhya as per his schedule on 15 June.

NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said: “Hope Raj Thackeray realises now that he was being used as a pawn by the BJP. They set him up to voice their agenda and when their message was delivered, they cut him to size. He allowed himself to be used to revive his failing political career but alas it was not meant to be.”

Maharashtra Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant said: “For this situation, it’s BJP that is responsible."

(With inputs from PTI)