The Battle for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat has descended into a new wave of religious fervor as competing candidates have resorted to performing yagnas to ‘vanquish’ their opponents instead of steadfast electoral campaigns.
On Tuesday, Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh with his wife performed a ‘yagna’ along with thousands of seers who had gathered at the local Sophia grounds in Bhopal, in what is seen as an attempt to counter the Hindutva campaign led by Sadhvi Pragya. The state capital goes to vote on Sunday, May 12th.
Despite the punishing heat of 41 degree celsius, thousands of seers and sadhus were led by self-styled godman Namdas Tyagi aka ‘Computer Baba’ who was at the forefront of the Sadhus’ ‘maha-havan.’ The event is expected to pan out over three days and will be marked by the presence of around 7000 sadhus.
The Sadhus have been roped in not just for the ‘Maha-Havan’, but are also campaigning on roadshows in support of Digvijay Singh, raising slogans like- ‘Ram Ram abki baar, badal ke rakh do chowkidar.’
Interestingly, ‘Computer Baba’ has had a history with the ruling BJP party in the state. He was awarded a Minister of State (MoS) position by the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government in the past. On failing to secure an assembly election ticket last year, he jumped sides to the Congress party. Now, he is appealing to the people to vote BJP out of power and has already declared Digvijaya Singh as the winner from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat.
Sadhu Avdeshpuri Ji Maharaj, a BJP supporter, said that the entire exercise was “meaningless and a mere showpiece”. Sadhvi Pragya also brushed aside the Congress’s saffron spectacle and said that she doesn’t care about what the opposition does.
The Logical Indian Take
The electoral tussle in Bhopal has now reached a new religious zenith. The Congress party, which previously accused the BJP of running a Hindutva campaign, has now fielded around 7000 sadhus in their campaign in Bhopal. What has gone amiss in this rising religious clamour, is the welfare of the state of Madhya Pradesh and the real issues of the people of Bhopal. Should religious fervour be the loudest campaign rhetoric in the world’s biggest democratic elections?
Also Read: “Will Popularise Cow Urine After I Win The Elections,” Says Sadhvi Pragya
