It being almost certain that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the proposed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the parties that have been proclaiming secularism and had joined hands with the Shiv Sena despite ideological differences, are now in a fix. While a senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said the head of a secular democracy should refrain from promoting a particular religious activity, the Congress leadership said the CM's visit should be treated as a matter of his personal faith.

Sena takes a call
But it seems the Congress and NCP would not have much say in the matter because the Sena has made up its mind to be part of the historic event. Sena leaders said the Ram temple wasn't part of the common minimum programme of the parties that were ideologically different yet together in the government.