BENGALURU: It is the poll season, and political leaders are throwing religious trips as freebies to win over voters. As January sees devotees thronging the Parashakti temple in Melmaruvathur of Tamil Nadu, buses are being booked from constituencies that have large Tamil populations.
A week ago, six buses from the HAL ward of KR Puram Assembly constituency were sent. The vehicles had posters of Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj. His supporters urged the devotees not to forget the incumbent MLA and to tell their relatives to cast their votes for him.
His supporters said that on December 31, a large number of people were taken to Shirdi by flight. “There were over 250 people,” one of them said. Even in the Hebbal Assembly constituency, Byrathi Suresh’s supporters had organised similar trips. At the Dharmarayaswamy temple ward in the Chickpet segment, former corporator Dhanraj organised a trip to Melmaruvathur. He said, “All arrangements were done by MLA Uday Garudachar.”
In Shantinagar, where Tamil voters are a deciding factor, a trip was organised for Om Shakti devotees by MLA NA Haris. “Although our MLA is a Muslim, he ensured that the devotees went to the religious spot,” said Badar Khan, his supporter.
Former mayor G Padmavathi has sent Om Shakti devotees from Rajajinagar in 14 buses over the last two weeks. Though such trips are an annual event, the numbers are more as this is the election season and temple visits are coming free for devotees.