Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to visit Ayodhya again on June 15, with MPs this time

Last week, the Sena, through an editorial in Saamana, reiterated its goal of constructing a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya and said that the second term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi would expedite the process.

The Shiv Sena is all set to rake up the Ram temple issue as its chief, Uddhav Thackeray, is scheduled to visit Ayodhya with the newly elected members of parliament (MP) from his party on June 15. The Sena, in a bid to corner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the delay in the construction of a ‘grand Ram temple’, had stirred the issue since last year.

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray had visited Ayodhya in November 2018 and demanded speedier construction of the Ram temple. (Aalok Soni/HT File)

Political observers said that with fissures between the Sena and BJP beginning to appear over the seat-sharing formula for Maharashtra elections, the Sena is likely to use the Ram temple issue and demand speedier resolution of the issue.

Party insiders said that Thackeray is going to visit Ayodhya with the 18 MPs. Sena leader and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray will also be present, Sena functionaries said.

Last week, the Sena, through an editorial in Saamana, reiterated its goal of constructing a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya and said that the second term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi would expedite the process.

Thackeray, who visited Ayodhya in November 2018, had demanded speedier construction of the Ram temple. He had also said that his visit to Ayodhya was the “first of many”. The Sena had kept construction of Ram temple as one of the key conditions when it entered into an alliance with the BJP in February.