Politicians turn religious before filing nominations

Monday being the last auspicious day for filing nomination papers for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, scheduled for April 18, politicians made a beeline to religious institutions here on Sunday and Monday to seek the blessings and intervention of deities and seers.

Even though Tuesday is the last day to file the nominations, Tuesday is considered as an inauspicious day. Hence, only a few nominations are expected on Tuesday.

While candidates of the two main political parties in fray in Mysuru, for the Mysuru-Kodagu LS constituency, also filed the papers on Monday, they naturally offered obeisance to the temples and institutions in the city. However, candidates from other constituencies also visited the city before filing the papers.

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru BJP candidate Shobha Karandlaje visited Sri Chamundeshwari Temple, atop the Chamundi Hill, in the city on Sunday itself. She filed her papers in Chikkamagaluru on Monday. Since she was district in-charge minister of Mysuru in 2008, she has been a devotee of the temple. She regularly visits the temple on a Friday during Dasara and the Shravana month.

On Monday morning, both BJP candidate Prathap Simha and JD(S)-Congress coalition candidate C H Vijayshankar from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency visited Chamundeshwari Temple.

Nikhil Kumaraswamy, JD(S)-Congress coalition candidate, from the neighbouring Mandya constituency also visited the temple before filing his nomination papers in Mandya. His parents Chief Minister Kumaraswamy and MLA Anitha Kumaraswamy and Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh accompanied him. In Mandya also, the procession for filing the nomination papers by Nikhil began at Kalikamba Temple.

Besides, the Suttur mutt here is a must-visit place for politicians during special occasions. Prominent political leaders who visited the mutt since Sunday are chairman of JD(S)-Congress coalition coordination committee Siddaramaiah along with candidate C H Vijayshankar; Chief Minister Kumaraswamy with his family members and BJP candidate Prathap Simha along with party spokesperson Dr Vaman Acharya.

Over the past one week, candidates had been visiting both Sri Chamundeshwari Temple and Suttur Mutt before filing their nomination papers. It has to be noted that during the election campaigning also, whichever village or town the candidates visit, they make it a point to visit the religious institutions there.