Mumbai: Inching closer to Hindutva, Raj Thackeray to visit Ayodhya in March

The MNS chief will visit Ayodhya between March 1 and 9. This was decided in a party meeting held at Bandra in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray seems to be adopting Hindutva hardline to revive his political fortunes as he is set to visit Ayodhya in March. Thackeray will visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. This was decided in a party meeting held at Bandra in Mumbai.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray. (HT FILE)

“Rajsaheb will visit Ayodhya between March 1 and 9 to seek the blessings of Lord Ram. He will also visit the Hanuman temple there. He will be accompanied by his party colleagues,” said senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar.

After his 2019 electoral debacle where he was able to win just one Assembly seat while his rival and cousin Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray became the chief minister of Maharashtra, Raj Thackeray has taken up the Hindutva hardline and is also becoming close to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A year ago, Thackeray unveiled a saffron flag for his party. Even as the lockdown restrictions were being eased, he advocated for reopening of temples which were closed due to Covid-19 pandemic.

“Raj wants to fashion himself as a Hindutva leader and become close to the BJP. Since the current Shiv Sena no longer advocates stringent Hindutva line like its founder Bal Thackeray, Raj wants to fill that vacuum,” said political analyst Hemant Desai. “Even the BJP would like to have Raj at their side as he can split Shiv Sena votes and benefit them,” he added.

Desai also pointed out that Raj did not criticise the BJP even in the farmers’ agitation.

The Shiv Sena, however, taunted Thackeray saying it was ready to guide him in his visit to Ayodhya. “If Raj Thackeray feels like going to Ayodhya, he should do so. We will guide him,” said Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

The Supreme Court in 2019 awarded the disputed site on which the mosque was demolished in 1992 to build Ram Mandir. In August this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed the ground-breaking ceremony where the grand temple is being built.

After he floated MNS in 2006, Thackeray adopted sons of the soil agenda and launched a violent campaign against north Indians, accusing them of stealing jobs of the locals. His party workers resorted to attacks on north Indian youths appearing for railway recruitment examinations as well as migrant labourers in Mumbai and other parts of the state. He reaped political benefit as the MNS got 13 MLAs in 2009 Assembly elections, but the tally came down to one in 2014 polls.

Ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he campaigned against the BJP and bitterly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but did not see any reversal in his fortunes.

However, a year after formation of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, he seems to be moving closer to the BJP. BJP leaders have said they are open for alliance, provided Thackeray gives up his opposition to north Indians.