NASHIK: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said his party's connection with Lord Ram was the oldest and deeply emotional, and claimed if his party was not there, the consecration of Ram Lalla's idol in Ayodhya temple would not have been possible.

The Rajya Sabha member was speaking at a party conclave here.

"We have a very old connection with Lord Ram. Shiv Sena's connection with Lord Ram is deeply emotional. It is not of any person or any party. If there is anyone who has the oldest connection with Lord Ram, then it is the Shiv Sena," he said.

"If Shiv Sena didn't exist, then 'pran pratishtha' of Lord Ram (idol in Ayodhya temple) would not have been there. Shiv Sena's tigers showed courage and this is why the prime minister could do pran pratishtha of Lord Ram," he claimed.

The new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple, in an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra unit of the BJP have been engaged in a bitter war of words over the latter's contribution to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

The Maharashtra BJP has attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aaditya and Raut over their contribution in the movement. On the other hand, the Sena (UBT) takes the credit for bringing down the Babri mosque.