Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal's 'temple runs' in line with BJP's religious push before Lok Sabha polls

Jaipur: Ahead of the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Jan 22, religion is the tenor of the times and the now seemingly mandatory temple run is the order of the day.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the way, visiting temples and showcasing his devout nature, his state counterparts, especially the BJP ones, are taking their cues from him. They do not want to be left behind in displaying their spiritual side publicly and have a planned temple visit on their itinerary almost everyday.

A month after he took oath on Dec 15, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has attended at least 15 Hindu-leaning religious functions, held in temples and gurudwaras. He has also listened to Bhagwad Katha.

A devotee of Giriraj Maharaj, he visited the Puchri Ka Lota temple in Goverdhan and performed puja there soon after he was sworn in. His wife and son are said to have performed the dandavaat parikrama of Goverdhan in Uttar Pradesh later.

Other than his favourite religious temple, that of Giriraj, the chief minister also visited Tripura Sundari temple in Umrai, Banswara district recently.

This temple is one of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s go-to temples where she has prayed umpteen number of times, especially before elections. Ma Tripura Sundari is said to help devotees seeking power or samrajya.

Raje, who is a firm believer in Ma Tripura Sundari, is said to have meditated in the temple during the 2013 Assembly election results, which incidentally she won with a stupendous majority. Former chief Ashok Gehlot also visited this temple.

Bhajanlal’s itinerary usually mentions a temple visit on most days. He has visited Shrinathji in Nathdwara, an important pilgrimage centre for Hindus. He also paid obeisance at an ancient Hindu temple Garbhod Charbhuja Nath temple in Rajsamand district.

Apart from temple runs, he has met Triveni dham mahant, listened to Bhagwad Katha, visited gurudwaras in Jaipur and Karanpur. Karanpur went to polls on Jan 5, which BJP, however, lost. He spent Lohri Utsav with the Sikh community.

In Jaipur, the Chief Minister has visited the Chintaharan Kala Hanuman Mandir, Jharkhand Mahadev Mandir, Tripoli Hanuman Mandir and Gangamata Mandir from where he flagged off 2100 oil casks to Ayodhya, where the cooking oil would be used to prepare prasadi for devotees.

Showing respect towards Islam, Bhajanlal sent a chadar for the Ajmer Dargah. However, he has not been able to visit the dargah till now.

“In absence of a developmental or welfare agenda, BJP banks on emotive issues and religion is one such issue in India, more so with Ram Mandir in focus. Such consolidation of Hindu votes and the Hindutva narrative have always proved advantageous for the party," Narayan Bareth, a political analyst, told Deccan Herald.

He added, "And when a chief minister is seen doing temple runs everyday, BJP’s unique mix of caste and religion-driven identity politics gets a boost. Bhajanlal is religious as we have heard and read but directives from Delhi must be behind this regularity of temple visits. His sending a chadar to Ajmer Dargah is mere tokenism.”

Bhajanlal, however, is also trying to fulfil the BJP’s poll promises which includes gas cylinders at Rs 450 and a SIT for exam paper leaks. He regularly takes stock at Viksit Bharat Sankalp camps. He has called his first Cabinet meet on Jan 18, a day before the legislative assembly begins in Rajasthan.