Sena going all out in Ayodhya foray

TASK CUT OUT Key seers may not meet Uddhav on Nov 25

Faced with the challenge of holding their party chief Uddhav Thackeray’s ‘Ashirwad Sammelan’ on the eve of VHP’s rally Dharam Sabha in Ayodhya on November 25, Shiv Sena leaders are going all out to make the event successful despite several odds. The party lacks infrastructure and support base at the ground level, as well as assistance from the present dispensation in UP headed by chief minister Adityanath Yogi. Shiv Sena hardly enjoys any support outside Maharashtra. It was way back in 1991 that Shiv Sena had an MLA, Pawan Pandey, in Uttar Pradesh.

In the absence of a credible face and cadre in UP, the Sena is largely dependent on support from Maharashtra from where its supporters are expected to converge in Ayodhya.

Fearing a low turnout, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday also cancelled its proposed public rally on November 24 at the Lakshman Quila ground.

Thackeray will now only attend ‘Ashirwad Sammelan’ to seek the blessings of seers and participate in Saryu aarti on November 24. The next day, he will leave for Mumbai after offering prayers at the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya.

A day later, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will organise Dharam Sabha, which has the backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (RJN), a powerful body of seers that has been spearheading the temple movement across the country. The congregation also enjoys the support of the ruling party.

VHP and RSS volunteers have fanned out in various parts of the state to mobilise over a lakh people to give a push to the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

As for the Shiv Sena, its spokesman and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, a close aide of Thackeray, has been camping in Ayodhya for the last one week, also shuttling between Ayodhya and Lucknow to prepare the ground for his party chief’s visit.

Eknath Sambhaji Shinde of Shiv Sena, who is a minister in the Maharashtra government, has also been camping in Ayodhya along with two party MPs.

However, it may not be easy for the Sena to get the support of local seers.

Prominent seers of Ayodhya, associated with Mani Ram Das Chhawni Peeth and Digambar Akhara, have already refused to share platform with Thackeray.

Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, who had ruled out his presence at the Sena function earlier in the day, agreed Thursday evening to attend it after Sena MP Raut met him. The Sena announced Thackeray’s visit after Ram Janmabhoomi Trust chief Janmejay Shaeranji Maharaj met him in Mumbai on October 3 to extend invitation to him to visit Ayodhya.

THE SENA EVENT ON NOVEMBER 25 MAY REGISTER A LOW TURNOUT OWING TO THE LACK OF SUPPORT BASE AT THE GROUND LEVEL