Political leaders queue up before astrologers in election season

BENGALURU: With the election heat rising, politicians of all hues seem to be worried about their fortunes, be it getting their party tickets or winning the elections. Expectedly, they are now queuing up before astrologers to get to know what the future holds for them.

From temple runs to organising havans, politicians are doing it all on the advise of astrologers. They are also visiting particular temples to woo targeted communities and organising programmes like Gangajal distribution, Srinivasa Kalyana and even sending voters on pilgrimages.

JD(S) MLC T A Saravana feels there is nothing significant about politicians offering pujas.

“Everyone would want God’s blessings before taking up anything new and politicians are no different. It is the culture of the land. Politicians also organise homas, havans, visit temples and undertake other religious activities have been going on for decades and it being continued now, there is nothing surprising about it. There will be more of it in the coming days” said JD(S) MLC T A Savarvana.

To a question on the rituals organised by former CM H D Kumaraswamy at Hyderabad recently, he said it was for the good health of party patriarch H D Deve Gowda so that he can campaign at least in some districts.

Sharat Shastri, a priest at the Kadumalleshwara temple in Malleswaram .

Ticket aspirants are also lining up before astrologers to know whether they stand a chance. They are also taking advice on what to wear, which type of finger rings and style of tilak to sport. Not only individual politicians, even parties are consulting astrologers on when to release the list of candidates, their numbers and other aspects.

Sharat Shastri, a priest at the Kadumalleshwara temple in Malleswaram said, “Before filing their nomination papers, political leaders come to our temple and get puja done to the B form and consult us on which day and what time to submit it. After the puja, they leave from the temple to file the nomination. They also conduct special pujas and some even offer ‘abhisheka’ on election day”.

Anand Guruji, a well-known astrologer.

“The muhurtas, star sign all matter for a politician’s growth. They need the blessings of Guru and Shukra. They also take the aid of birth stones and proper clothes as per the birth sign are also necessary”, stressed Anand Guruji, a well-known astrologer in Bengaluru.