Politicos abandon ideology, seek divine intervention for victory

Chennai

Politicians belonging to different schools of thought are seeking divine intervention to better their poll performance. From god-fearing AIADMK to rationalist DMK and fledgling units, party leaders and mainly their spouses have been going on a pilgrimage spree of late. The list of high profile pilgrims includes the likes of Sasikala, a close associate of chief minister J Jayalalithaa, and Durga Stalin, who have been touring temples.

While Sasikala sought the blessings of Lord Muruga at Palani and Tiruchendur, Durga Stalin from the rival DMK camp was spotted at Lord Narasimha temple at Pavoorchathiram in Tirunelveli recently. Premalatha Vijayakant pre-empted by visiting the Vaishanavite temple ahead of her DMK rival. One of the AIADMK second rung leaders Nainar Nagendran who was elected from Tirunelveli also visits this temple before every election. Curiously, the temple visits seeking poll-benefit defy religious loyalty too. Influential Tuticorin DMK district secretary N Periasamy, a Christian, never fails to take a dip in the Bay of Bengal and seek darshan at Tiruchendur temple and Sankaranarayanar Temple at Srivenkateswarapuram, which is believed to be over a millennium old. Lawyer-political P H Pandian of AIADMK, another Christian, makes it a point to donate some money to Vaigundar Temple Samiarthoppu in Kanyakumari before filing nomination.

Former Prime Minister Chandrasekhar did the same before running for the PMO. Any reference to temple visit would be incomplete without a mention of chief minister J Jayalalithaa who had donated a ‘trishul’ to the Tiruporur Murugan Temple immediately after being acquitted in the TANSI case earlier. Even a rationalist DMK treasurer M K Stalin sprang a surprise by visiting the Tirukoshtiyur temple in Sivaganga and subsequently Velankanni Basilica during his Namakku Naamey tour. Will the netas get the Gods’ blessings? Perhaps one should wait till May 19.