Hitting out at former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, CM Shinde said that he wants to tell those who used to say this is "ravan raaj" that this government has been made with the blessings of Lord Ram

After paying obeisance to Ramlalla and overseeing the construction work of the temple, Shinde said he is happy that the dream of "Hindu Hriday Samrat" Balasaheb Thackeray and crores of Ram bhakts is being fulfilled

"Everyone used to wonder when the construction work would start. Some used to say 'mandir wahin banayenge, par tarikh nahi batayenge' (the temple will be built there, but the dates will not be told). But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has got the work started and the dream of crores of Ram bhakts is being fulfilled.... Those asking for the dates have also been shown their way home," Shinde, who has been accompanied by thousands of Shiv Sainiks on his maiden visit to Ayodhya as the chief minister, said

CM Shinde said before the start of the temple's construction work, several opposition parties used to take a dig at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by raising the slogan -- "mandir wahin banayenge, par tarikh nahi batayenge"

"I thank you all for being able to see our dream being fulfilled with our own eyes. I thank the prime minister and (Uttar Pradesh) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Sagwan wood used in the temple is from Maharashtra and this is our small contribution," CM Shinde said