Tamil Nadu

Puducherry politico turns to ‘horse power’ to win political power

Debjani Dutta

PUDUCHERRY: Even as political parties across the world have befriended technology to win elections, the principal opposition in Puducherry, the All India NR Congress, has sought divine intervention to capture power in the upcoming Assembly elections in the Union Territory. The party leadership conducted an 'Ashva Puja' on the sidelines of the inauguration of a new office building on Thursday, to win back power from the Congress. Termed by some political leaders as a watered-down version of the Ashwamedha Yagams conducted by the kings of ancient past, the 'Ashva Puja' of AINRC involved two white horses that were brought to the premises of the new office by former MLA G Nehru.  

After inaugurating the party office and offering prayers to deities and his guru Appapathiyasami, party founder N Rangasamy offered puja to the horses in presence of party leaders, functionaries and cadres. Party sources said their leader believes that the puja will help the party return to power. It also has a sentimental value as the 'Ashwa Puja' symbolises power and brings good tidings, said a party leader.

Rangasamy, who floated AINRC just before the 2011 elections and came to power, lost power in 2016 to Congress. Unlike in the past when Rangasamy would wait till the 11th hour to announce political decisions, there seems to be a change in his strategy. He has already clarified that the party continues to be in the AIADMK-BJP alliance, indicating that the party would fight the polls in the alliance, which took many by surprise.

Rangasamy has been known to be spiritually inclined and has never taken a decision without getting the ‘green signal’ from his guru Appapaithiasamy, who is no more. He believes that his long stint as chief minister, two continuous terms in Congress and then a third term in AINRC, are due to the blessings of his guru, who is said to have predicted that Rangasamy would become the chief minister one day. Now, several political leaders have become devotees of Appapaithisamy to achieve success in politics.

Rangasamy’s way of taking up any work based on auspicious time, day, directions and other considerations as well as other superstitious ways has rubbed off on many a political leaders. One of them is current Chief minister V Narayanasamy who only enters the Legislative Assembly complex through the exit gate and not the entry gate.

SCROLL FOR NEXT