Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a swipe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after his Ayodhya visit, saying "conspirators, opportunists and backstabbers" cannot carry forward the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray.

Shiv Sena leader Shinde on Sunday made his maiden visit to Ayodhya after becoming the chief minister in June last year. He was accompanied to the temple town in Uttar Pradesh by thousands of Shiv Sainiks.

In a tweet, Sibal said, "Shinde in Ayodhya: Lord Ram chose: Sacrifice, the path of truth, rectitude. Balasaheb also imbibed those attributes.

"Conspirators, opportunists, backstabbers cannot carry forward the legacy of Balasaheb," the former Union minister said, attacking Shinde.

The Maharashtra chief minister on Sunday said the ideology of his party and that of the BJP is the same and they will unfurl the saffron flag all over the state next year.

"Our party's role is clear. The Shiv Sena has an alliance with the BJP. Our ideology, which is Hindutva, is the same. We will go to our state with new energy from Ayodhya and serve the people. In 2024, the Shiv Sena and the BJP's 'bhagva' (saffron flag) will be unfurled in the entire state," he said while addressing a press conference in Ayodhya.

The Lok Sabha election as well as the Maharashtra Assembly polls are due next year. Shinde's coup against Uddhav Thackeray split the Shiv Sena last year and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Thackeray.

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