The Shiv Sena today put up posters with slogan “Chalo Ayodhya, Chalo Varanasi”. This event took place after two days when party chief Uddhav Thackeray announced his visit to Ayodhya and Varanasi.

In his recent interview to party mouthpiece “Saamana”, Thackeray had announced his intention to visit Ayodhya to pay respects to Lord Ram.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party is a constituent of the BJP-led NDA governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra.

The Sena has often targetted the BJP for “delaying” the construction of the temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya despite having majority.

Thackeray had recently said the BJP would once again rake up the emotive issue of the construction of the temple in run-up to the 2019 polls.

Political observers feel that the Sena might be preparing to contest all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in 2019. They feel that Thackeray’s visit might be aimed at strengthening the party cadre in the northern state.

With the 2019 polls drawing near, the parties are in a hurry to clarify and justify their agenda. It is quite clear that seeking blessing is not the only purpose of Thackeray. Political ambitions to expand further is attracting him to UP.