Mumbai, Jan 13 (IANS): Shiv Sena (UBT) President and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said his party would perform a solemn puja at the historic Shree Kalaram Temple in Nashik on January 22 for which President Droupadi Murmu is invited.

"We shall be conducting a special Godatiri Pooja at the Shree Kalaram Temple at Panchvati in Nashik. We have humbly and respectfully invited the President to grace the event," Thackeray told mediapersons.

Flanked by party MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut, the SS-UBT chief said that after the prayers at the Shree Kalaram Temple, the party would also organise a huge public rally in Nashik that day.

To a question whether he would go for the 'Pran Pratistha' of the Lord Ram in Ayodhya, Thackeray shot back asking why the President was not invited for that function, and cited a similar precedent of the first President Rajendra Prasad.

"I shall go to pray at the Ayodhya Temple at the appropriate time... Lord Ram is not anyone’s private property... We demand from the Centre that the President should be invited to perform the temple's Pran Pratistha ceremonies there on January 22,” Thackeray said.

Responding to a question, Thackeray hit back asserting that he was a devout Hindu, a strong proponent of Hindutva, and a 'desh-bhakt' (patriot), but not an 'andh-bhakt' (blind follower).