Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday visited Malang Gad fort near Kalyan in Thane district of the state and performed 'maha aarti' at the Machhindranath temple atop it.
A fair is held annually on the fort on the occasion of Magh Poornima, which is being celebrated on Sunday. Thousands of devotees take part in the annual fair.
Shinde, who represents the Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency in Thane, visits the temple on the fort every year on this occasion. But it was his visit to the place after becoming the chief minister.
Local leaders of the Shiv Sena faction led by Shinde accompanied him during the visit to the fort. All of them climbed the fort along with a number of party workers and devotees. This practice was initiated by Shinde's mentor and late Sena leader Anand Dighe.
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Interacting with people at the base of the fort, where he arrived in a helicopter for the visit, he said, "The government that gives justice to everyone is in place in the state now. After we came to power, relaxations were given for the celebration of each and every festival."
