Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who arrived in Ayodhya on Sunday, said his faction of Shiv Sena got the symbol of ‘bow and arrow’ as the blessings of Lord Ram are with them.

“Lord Ram’s blessings are with us and that is why we have got the symbol of bow and arrow,” Shinde told reporters in Lucknow while leaving for the temple town. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with fellow Shiv Sena MPs, arrived in Ayodhya on Sunday.

This is Shinde’s first visit to the temple town since being sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister in June last year.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also arrived in Ayodhya on Sunday.

Both CM Shinde and his deputy Fadnavis were accorded a warm welcome on their arrival to the temple town.

“I am very happy that I am going to Ayodhya to take blessings from Lord Ram,” Fadnavis said after reaching Lucknow on Sunday.

Shinde and other Shiv Sena leaders flew down to Lucknow on Saturday.

Shinde was welcomed by his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath at the Lucknow airport, amid fanfare.

The Maharashtra CM will perform ‘aarti’ on the banks of the Saryu River. He will also visit the ongoing construction site of Ram Mandir.

“This is not a political visit. I keep visiting Ayodhya but this is the first time I have come here as the chief minister. All our party leaders wanted to take the blessings of Lord Ram. I want to thank Yogi-ji and his ministers who were here to welcome us,” Shinde told ANI.

To welcome Shinde, the Shiv Sena put up big banners with his image, in Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut attacked Shinde alleging that Maharashtra CM went to Ayodhya when farmers were facing problems due to rain and hailstorm.

Addressing mediapersons, Raut said, “We also believe in Lord Ram. We have also been to Ayodhya several times. But the BJP never followed us there.

When the Babri incident happened, they ran away. Farmers in Maharashtra are saddled with problems due to rain and hailstorm but the government, ignoring all these issues, is visiting Ayodhya. Will Lord Ram bless them? They are copying us. Public knows who is original and who is duplicate.”

Before leaving for Lucknow, CM Shinde said in a press conference, “We will be going to Ayodhya to seek Lord Ram’s blessings on April 9. The call of faith and belief prompted us to undertake this visit. We will perform the Aarti. I still remember that Dharmveer Anand Dhigana (Anand Dighe, who the Maharashtra CM considers his mentor) had sent a Karsevak to Ayodhya with a silver brick. So, we have old bonding with Ram Lalla and will be visiting the temple also.”

He said the Shiv Sena leaders wanted to go to Ayodhya after getting the Bow and Arrow symbol.

“We will take part in programmes that the seers have organised in Ayodhya. In a dig at his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde said, adding, “Earlier, seers were killed in Palghar, but now we will protect them.”

The Palghar incident happened during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by Uddhav.

On February 17, the Election Commission ordered that the Eknath Shinde camp of the Shiv Sena will retain the official name and the bow and arrow symbol of the party.