While relentlessly attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party for claiming to be the only architect of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir campaign, the Shiv Sena will be challenging the candidature of the ruling party’s prominent face and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is likely to contest from Ayodhya in the forthcoming Legislative Assembly elections. Armed with a tweaked poll strategy, the Sena aims to contest in 50-100 seats in the country’s political powerhouse, where the BJP is witnessing a steady outgoing of ministers and MLAs ahead of the nomination.

Talking to the reporters in New Delhi, Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the party will launch its campaign from Mathura, a revered place for pilgrimage. The Sena has also sought the opinion of farmers’ leader Rakesh Tikait, who spearheaded a year-long agitation on Delhi borders demanding withdrawal of the contentious farm laws and succeeding.