Uddhav visits Shivaji's birth place, collects soil for Nov 25 Ayodhya tour

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Thursday visited Shivneri fort, the birthplace of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji, in Junnar tehsil of Pune district and collected soil from there, which he will carry to Ayodhya during his visit on November 25.

Thackeray had announced during the Shiv Sena's Vijayadashami rally in Mumbai that he will visit Ayodhya on 25 November and "question" Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of the construction of the Ram temple.

The Sena president reached Shivneri fort by helicopter on Thursday morning and after paying tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji, he collected soil, which he will carry to Ayodhya during his visit on November 25, party MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who was also present there, said.

In a bid to intensify his party's campaign for the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Thackeray has given a new slogan-- 'Pehle mandir, fir sarkaar' (first the temple, then the government).