Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, 39 MLAs to revisit Kamakhya Devi temple with kin, offer thanks

MUMBAI: Chief minister Eknath Shinde and 39 MLAs who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership to form their own Shiv Sena, will soon revisit Guwahati's famous Kamakhya Devi temple as a mark of gratitude for the formation of a new government in Maharashtra. A Shinde camp functionary described it as a "vachan purti (fulfilling a promise)" made before the Shinde-Fadnavis government was installed.
Shinde and the rebel MLAs camped in Guwahati in June this year after withdrawing support to the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) government. They later formed a coalition with the BJP, which took office on June 30.
Shinde camp sources said after Guwahati, the MLAs will also visit the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, but the dates for the Ayodhya trip are yet to be fixed. A team of senior functionaries have already left to check on the arrangements in Guwahati and chalk out an itinerary for the CM and the MLAs. Family members of the MLAs are also likely to go on the trip. Shinde is expected to meet Assam governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi and Assam director general of police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta.
In June, Shinde had visited the Kamakhya Devi temple with a few of the MLAs. "I did a darshan of Ma Kamakhya Devi today to seek peace, and prosperity of Maharashtra and its people. Tomorrow we will reach Mumbai to take the required legislative process forward," Shinde had said after his visit which took place before the government was sworn in.
From Guwahati, Shinde's camp had moved to Goa. After Uddhav resigned as CM, they arrived in Maharashtra to take part in the floor test in July. Apart from the rebel Sena MLAs, 10 independent MLAs had traveled with the Shinde faction from Mumbai to Surat to Guwahati and then to Goa and finally back to Mumbai.
"A special pooja has also been planned in the temple of Kamakhya Devi during this tour. All the MLAs of the Shinde faction will also go on a visit to Ayodhya along with CM Shinde. Before the Ayodhya visit, Shinde will go to Guwahati. At both these religious places, he will have darshan with his MLAs. The last time all MLAs couldn' take darshan but this time all 39 MLAs along with the CM will visit the Kamakhya Devi temple and thank her, it is because of her blessings that the government could be formed in Maharashtra. This visit will be a sort of vachan purti (promise fulfilled)," said a Shinde faction functionary.
One of the oldest temples in the country, the Kamakhya Devi temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of Goddess Durga.