Chalo Ayodhya for the Thackerays

On 1 May, which coincides with the Maharashtra Day, Raj Thackeray would visit Aurangabad and address a grand rally

With a series of local body polls lined up leading to the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, the two Thackeray cousins seem to be working hard on wooing Hindu voters in Maharashtra.

Both the Shiv Sena and rival Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have announced visits to Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, coinciding with the Hanuman Jayanti festivities.

While Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s minister-son Aaditya Thackeray would visit Ayodhya in May, MNS president Raj Thackeray would go to the temple town in June.

Over the statements of Raj in the last fortnight, it is clear that he has support from BJP and is speaking on their lines targeting the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

“I will soon visit Ayodhya and seek blessings. It would be a one-day visit, and I would be going in the first week of May,” said Aaditya on Saturday.

Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that Shiv Sena’s Nashik unit would organise the Ayodhya tour. “Aaditya will take the darshan of Ram Lalla and would also go to the banks of the Sarayu River,” said Raut, a Rajya Sabha member.

“We are not going to Ayodhya only now, we have been going there since the Babri Mosque’s dome was pulled down and till the groundbreaking for the Ram temple was done….anyone with a clean heart and mind can go there” said Raut.

After the MVA government came to power, Uddhav had announced a donation of Rs 1 crore to Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust from the Shiv Sena.

Raj announced that he would visit Ayodhya on 5 June. Besides, on 1 May, which coincides with the Maharashtra Day, he would visit Aurangabad and address a grand rally - in which is expected to speak about the future course.

Speaking to reporters in Pune on Sunday, he also said that he maintains that he is against loudspeakers on mosques. “No one has opposed the offering of prayers. But if you (Muslims) do it on loudspeaker, then we’ll also use loudspeakers for it. Muslims should understand that religion isn’t bigger than the law. After May 3, when Ramzan ends, we will play Hanuman-chalisa five times on loudspeakers,” said Raj.

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