This is for the first time that the Shiv Sena has pitched a camp in the Ardh Kumbh, which is held either at Haridwar or Prayagraj every six years, unlike the Maha Kumbh, once in 12 years.
After party chief Uddhav Thackeray's march on Ayodhya to press for the construction of a Ram Temple, the Shiv Sena is using the congregation of the faithful during the 'Ardh Kumbh' at Prayagraj to reach out to pilgrims from Maharashtra and other states who will flock there.
Vinay Shukla 'Sir,' the Shiv Sena's in-charge for North India, said they had secured land for a shibir (camp) in the pilgrimage centre where 10 tents, each housing about 50 people, will be pitched for the around the one-and-half month of the Ardh Kumbh, which will begin from today.
This is for the first time that the Shiv Sena has pitched a camp in the Ardh Kumbh, which is held either at Haridwar or Prayagraj every six years, unlike the Maha Kumbh, once in 12 years.
The camp, which will provide food and accommodation, will house pilgrims from Maharashtra and also other states. In addition, the Shiv Sena has arranged for more pilgrims to be housed in camps by akhadas and religious figures.
In November 2018, Uddhav, who is trying to assert the party's pro-Hindutva credentials and also catch Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP on the back-foot over the Ram Temple promise, had visited Ayodhya in a show of strength. Shukla said their activities during the Kumbh would be a continuation of this outreach by the party outside Maharashtra.
"People from Maharashtra are expected to visit the Kumbh to have a dip at the confluence of the three rivers (Ganga Yamuna and Saraswati). It will also be attended by MPs and ministers of Shiv Sena," said Shukla.
Uddhav is also expected to visit Modi's constituency of Varanasi before the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections come into force.
"The Shiv Sena has a corporator, Deepesh Yadav, in the local municipal corporation. This means the city has people who believe in the Shiv Sena and (late party supremo) Balasaheb (Thackeray)," he claimed.
Some Shiv Sena leaders are also looking at facilitating the visits of devotees from their constituencies to the Kumbh. Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul Amravati said he was planning to arrange for people from his constituency (Amravati) to visit Prayagraj.
CAMPING AT KUMBH
It is for the first time that Shiv Sena has pitched a camp in the Ardh Kumbh which will provide food and accommodation, and will house pilgrims from Maharashtra and other states as well.
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