GUWAHATI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and several of his ministers and MLAs paid a “gratitude” visit to the Kamakhya temple atop the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati and offered prayers on Saturday. The visit comes five months after Shinde had led rebel Shiv Sena MLAs and some independents to Guwahati on June 22, camped at a five-star hotel for a week and later, toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government after a power struggle.Before leaving for Goa then, they had offered prayers to goddess Kamakhya for success.
They checked in the same hotel this time as well. On Saturday, the lawmakers and their family members were received by three Assam ministers and senior government officials.Shinde said they all arrived at the invitation of his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma who heads the state’s BJP-led government.
“We came here for the ‘darshan’ of Maa Kamakhya Devi on the invitation of the Chief Minister. We want to thank everyone. We can see people showing their love and affection for us like the last time. Some Sainiks have also come to welcome us. I thank them too,” Shinde said during his brief interaction with the media.He said everyone was happy after their darshan of the goddess and that he would meet the Assam CM on Saturday evening. The Maharashtra delegation would leave the state on Sunday.
Assam minister Bimal Borah said, “They came primarily for the ‘darshan’ of Maa Kamakhya and to seek Her blessings so they can run the government smoothly. We welcomed them.” Earlier in the day, they landed at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in separate flights, including one that was chartered.