Nominations: Candidates for bypoll wait for stars to align

With only four days left to file nominations for the Khadakwasla bypoll, not a single candidate from any of the political party has done it so far, said sources at the State Election Commission (SEC).

Nominations: Candidates for bypoll wait for stars to align

With only four days left to file nominations for the Khadakwasla bypoll, not a single candidate from any of the political party has done it so far, said sources at the State Election Commission (SEC). The reason? Candidates are waiting for the most propitious moment to file their nominations.u00a0 Candidates are waiting for the right muhurat or an auspicious day to file their nomination forms, which they think is Guru Pushyamrit Yog that is today.

Who will fill his shoes? Ramesh Wanjale, whose death necessitated the
Khadakwasla by-election. File pic

"It's the general tendency among the candidates to first make sure that the day of filing the nomination form is an auspicious one. They are very superstitious," said Rohini Gupte, a staff member at the Deputy Election Office, Pune district. "The dates declared for filing the nomination come under what is called as 'Pitrupaksha' which are considered inauspicious days to begin new work. We have been observing this trend of filing election forms only on auspicious days for the last many years."

Astrologer Madhusudan Ghanekar said: "Politicians always come to me to take advice on the matter of when to begin their election campaign, when to file the nomination form or whether they should contest elections or not. Yes, Pitrupaksha is inauspicious to start any new work; however, the candidates can file their nomination forms today on the occasion of Gurupushyamrit Yog."

A member of Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ANS), Avinash Patil, dismissed all such beliefs. "It's nothing but a superstition, people are having in their mind. Basically, it is just a fear among the candidates that if they file their nomination on so-called inauspicious day, then they will get adverse results in elections. There is no logic behind it or nor any scientific basis."

Unlucky for some: Number 13
w Many political parties also consider specific days or dates as unlucky. BJP is the classic example, as it is wary of the number 13. And why wouldn't it be, as BJP's first government at the Centre under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's leadership lasted only 13 days. The second time Vajpayee became the Prime Minister; the government was in power for 13 months.