Welcoming Shiv Sena to join the struggle to build Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Friday said while it would take the lead, the others can follow.

Dr. Surendra Jain, joint general secretary, VHP, welcomed the visit of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to Ayodhya later this month adding that every Hindu should do so. The VHP will be organising five major assemblies in Nagpur, Bengaluru, Ayodhya, Delhi and Mumbai. VHP will reach out to common citizens requesting them to join the struggle to construct the temple prior to these assemblies. “We will not be inviting anybody. Those who wish, can join inIt is going to be our platform,” he said. A religious convocation will be held in Prayag on January 31 and February 1.

The VHP on Friday met the Maharashtra governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and submitted a memorandum demanding a law to build Ram temple in Ayodhya. Later, addressing a press conference, Dr. Jain said there were only three ways by which the construction of Ram mandir in Ayodhya was possible — negotiation, judiciary or legislature.

“Discussions could not bring out the result, while the court hearing has been postponed for too long a time. Thus, after the October meeting of the ‘high power committee’ of the Hindu saints, it was decided that we could not wait forever for a decision, and the third method of pushing for a law must be adopted,” said Mr. Jain.

He added that the politics of appeasement has ended and now nobody can dare delay the process. “We will not stop until our goal is achieved,” he said. He hoped the BJP government will bring a law within next six months to build the temple as promised in their election manifesto.