With seven months to go, UP politicians begin temple hopping in hope of winning Assembly polls

Come the elections and politicians of all hues, even those who are otherwise not seen frequenting temples, start visiting seers and saints, holding special pujas, including 'tantrik' (occult) rituals, and hopping famous temples to seek divine blessings to win the polls.

Although assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are still a good seven months away, politicians from the BJP, BSP, Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) have already either started visiting temples and seers or drawn plans to do so shortly.

On Friday, BSP leaders, including its general secretary S.C.Mishra, visited the makeshift Ram Temple and several other famous temples in Ayodhya. He also visited the 'ashrams' of some prominent seers to seek their blessings.

On Saturday, it was the turn of the BJP leaders to do so.

BJP leaders, including MLAs and office bearers, felicitated seers and saints across the state, visited temples and ashrams in different parts of UP and also organised special pujas.

According to the reports, BJP leaders performed a 'tantrik puja' at the famous 'Batuk Bhairav' temple in Varanasi for the victory of thier party in the forthcoming assembly polls. Liquor is offered to the deity at Batuk Bhairav temple.

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SP leaders said that party supremo Akhilesh Yadav also planned to visit Varanasi and pay obeisance at the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple there in the near future.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may also visit Varanasi and pay obeisance at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Priyanka had, earlier this year, taken a dip at the holy 'Sangam' (the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers) on the occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya' (a scared day on which millions take dip in holy rivers across India) at Prayagraj, about 200 kilometres from here.

She had also paid obeisance at the famous 'Mankameshwar Temple' in the town. Hindus believe that the wishes of the person are fulfilled by paying obeisance at this temple.

''Temple hopping by the politicians ahead of the elections is very common.....it is an attempt to send the message that they are god fearing people and devoutly follow their religion,'' says J.P. Shukla, a Lucknow based political analyst.

It remains to be seen whose prayers will be finally heard by the gods and who will be blessed with victory in the crucial assembly polls in the state due early next year.