Jubilee Hills By-Election: Devotional Campaigns Intensify
- Devotees, prayers, and politics dominate by-election season in Hyderabad
- Candidates turn Kartik month rituals into vote-seeking opportunities
As the Jubilee Hills by-election approaches, candidates are tightening their campaign grip across Hyderabad. They are turning temples, mosques, and churches into campaign stops to reach every potential voter. The contest has grown intense, with each aspirant striving to merge faith-driven gatherings with political outreach.
With the holy Kartik month underway, temples across the city are receiving heavy crowds of devotees. Candidates are using this religious fervor to their advantage. Many have been seen distributing prasad, greeting devotees, and urging them to vote in their favour. On the first Monday of Kartik, both BRS and Congress candidates spent most of their day in temples, offering special pujas and prayers for electoral success.
Meanwhile, some are organizing religious events to draw attention. One candidate has planned a grand Akhanda Deeparadhana on Karthika Pournami, promising free meals for all under the pretext of Vanabhojanalu. Another has scheduled a bhajan program at a well-known temple, ensuring his name resonates through temple loudspeakers while carefully avoiding any party references to evade Election Commission scrutiny.
Also, the start of Ayyappa Deeksha season has further bridged religion and politics. Thousands are taking deeksha vows, and candidates are keen to meet them at temples, offer pujas, and appeal for their blessings — and votes. One candidate was recently seen performing special pujas at an Ayyappa temple and arranging food for devotees. In a strategic move, campaigners have reportedly persuaded 22 devotees to reschedule their Sabarimala pilgrimage on November 11, the polling date, promising to send them later by bus.
As faith and politics blend seamlessly in this by-election, Jubilee Hills has turned into a battleground of devotion and democracy, where prayers and promises go hand in hand.
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