MNS president Raj Thackeray has put off his June 5 visit to Ayodhya. The proposed tour courted controversy over BJP Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s threat that Raj would be allowed in the holy town only after he apologises to the hosting state for his hate speeches and his party’s violence against migrants from north India.

Putting off the visit on Friday through a social media post, Raj didn’t explain much but promised to clear the air in his address to the party workers on Sunday, May 22, in Pune. As speculations were rife over political reasons and Singh’s threat, people close to Raj said his leg needed treatment, most possibly a surgery later this month, after which he would need recovery time.