MYSURU: Tantrik rituals, voodoo dolls, lemons and pumpkins... As poll campaigning peaks across the state, and star campaigners make a beeline for poll-bound Karnataka, candidates in the fray are silently resorting to superstition and black magic to bide over this crucial period.
From following strange customs before filing their nominations to reaching out to black magicians, no candidate wants to break tradition or misread the stars that apparently influence the outcome of their action. What’s more ironic is the fact that senior leaders who have won elections on the trot are also blindly following these customs and even resorting to black magic.
An officer deputed at Mysuru City Corporation on poll duty revealed that most of the candidates who came with nomination papers tried to hand them in, pointing in the north direction. When an independent candidate was putting a black ink pen to paper to sign, his followers suggested that he sign in blue ink, for black is considered unlucky.
There’s more. An astrologer, a native of Kollegal who runs an astrology store in Kuvempunagar in Mysuru, revealed that there are demands for voodoo dolls this time. “I suggested to a candidate from Shivamogga to contact my guru in Kollegal, who will get him the doll. It will help him gain an upper hand in the election,” the astrologer said.
Meanwhile, in rural pockets, especially in Chamarajanagar and Mandya districts, sliced lemons or pumpkins thrown in front of rival candidates’ houses and offices have become a common sight. It is believed that they can carry ill-will, and ensure the loss of their opponents. Several candidates also attempt black magic on the followers of rival leaders, to scare them and restrain them from campaigning.
The new trend is prediction games, with a dog in Mandya predicting who will be the next CM. Gopi of Ashoknagar, whose dog Bhairava is known for making accurate predictions, showed him photographs of CM Basavaraj Bommai, former CM HD Kumaraswamy and Congress leader DK Shivakumar. The dog picked up Kumaraswamy’s photo, declaring him as the future CM, and again raising the spectre of a hung assembly.