Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrives in Ayodhya

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrived here Saturday afternoon along with his family for his two-day visit at the temple town.

The Sena chief, who arrived with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya amidst slogans of "Jai Shri Ram", will offer prayers on the banks of the Saryu river in the evening.

The Sena, which has demanded expediting the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya by promulgating an ordinance to the effect, is believed to have sent some 3,000 Shiv Sena supporters by two trains from Maharashtra.

The cadres who have already arrived here first took a dip in the Saryu river and then prayed at Ram Lalla and Hanuman Garhi, Sena sources said.

The Shiv Sena chief is reported to have brought a pot full of soil from the Shivneri fort in Pune, which will be handed over to the priest at the Ram janmabhoomi when he meets him later.

This is Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya and party leaders, including MP, Sanjay Raut, and others had been camping here for the last few days to make preparations for the visit.

On Sunday morning, Thackeray will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla accompanied, interact with the media and later with the public, party sources said.

The temple town will also witness another major congregation of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists Sunday who will be taking part in a Dharam Sabha.

Security has been tightened at the disputed site with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel keeping a watch over the sensitive place.

On the security arrangements in Ayodhya, Additional Director General law and order, Anand Kumar said the Supreme Court guidelines will be maintained in and around the disputed site.

Ayodhya has been divided in 16 sectors and a security scheme is under force, Kumar said, adding that additional force has been deployed for maintaining law and order and efforts are on to ensure that the events pass off peacefully.

Barriers have been erected to regulate the surging crowd in the temple town and magistrates have been posted there. If some people want to have darshans of the Ram Lalla they can do it as per the traditions and guidelines.

Everyone will have to adhere to the Supreme Court guidelines, he said adding, that necessary steps have been taken to deal with all circumstances.