CM Shinde visits Kamakhya Devi Temple in Guwahati ahead of Maharashtra polls

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday offered prayers at the renowned Kamakhya Devi Temple in Assam’s Guwahati, an aide said, a visit coming ahead of the high-stakes assembly elections scheduled for November 20.

Incidentally, Shinde had visited the same temple in June 2022 along with 39 rebel MLAs of the undivided Shiv Sena when he raised a banner of revolt against the leadership of party president and then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The revolt not only dislodged the Uddhav Thackeray government but it also led to a vertical split in the Shiv Sena.

On June 30, 2022, Shinde took oath as the new chief minister with the BJP’s support and visited the Kamakhya Devi Temple in November that year to seek blessings of the Goddess.

On Tuesday, Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, visited Guwahati for the second time as chief minister. His party is yet to announce its candidates for the assembly polls.

Shinde will face, perhaps, the most crucial assembly poll battle when Maharashtra votes on November 20 to elect a new 288-member house. The Shinde-led Sena heads the ruling coalition that also consists of the BJP and the NCP headed by deputy CM Ajit Pawar.