Before the outcome of the high-stakes multi-cornered electoral battle, politicians seem to be leaving no stone unturned while invoking divine intervention to improve their political fortune.
At a time when the Punjab based psephologists have predicted a fractured mandate, the incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi seems to have stonewalled himself for a spiritual pursuit at an undisclosed location, sources told Outlook this morning.
바카라He is not meeting anybody till March 4,바카라 a personal assistant with the chief minister said in response to a request for a short meeting with the chief minister for an interview. He indicated that the chief minister will be available to the public and press from March 5 onwards.
Asked if the chief minister was in Punjab or he had gone out of the state, he replied, 바카라I can바카라t disclose it at the moment. I don바카라t have orders from the higher-ups. I can only say that he is meditating right now.바카라
While persons close to CM Channi were tight-lipped regarding his whereabouts, Outlook tried to contact Channi바카라s son, Navjit Singh, but his cell phone was switched off. Phone calls to the chief minister바카라s personal cell number didn바카라t evoke any response whereas the person who attended the phone call at CM바카라s residence said he wasn바카라t aware whether the CM was in Punjab or had gone outstation. Similarly, phone calls at the chief minister바카라s office and 바카라camp office바카라 landline numbers went unanswered.
The 58-year-old Congress leader has crafted an image of a deeply religious person for himself during his short tenure as Punjab바카라s first Dalit chief minister. In the run-up to the state assembly election, he is known to have visited many shrines of several sects belonging to the Hindu and Sikh religions.
Following Channi바카라s visit to the Baglamukhi temple in Himachal Pradesh바카라s Kangra district in December last year, the head priest at the temple had clarified that the chief minister didn바카라t perform any 바카라tantric pooja바카라 as it was widely rumoured. 바카라People come here for secret worship to gain victory over enemies,바카라 the priest had told the media.
Earlier in February, CM Channi reportedly visited the shrine for the third time after becoming the chief minister and offered a mid-night prayer.
A few days later, a statement put out by the Punjab government stated that Channi and his family sought the blessings of Radha Soami Satsang Beas chief, Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, at their residence to serve the state and its people.
Soon after becoming the chief minister, Channi paid a visit to Dera Sach Khand, an influential socio-religious social organisation of the Ravidasia community in Jalandhar바카라s Ballan village in September last year.
In January this year, CM Channi spent a night at Dera Sachkhand in Ballan village near Jalandhar where he reportedly slept on the floor of Dera head Sant Niranjan Dass바카라s room.
Earlier this month, he had paid a late night visit to Divya Jayoti Jagriti Sansthan and spent one hour at the Sansthan.
In Punjab, other senior politicians are also known for their close association with religious personalities and faith healers. Before the outcome of the high-stakes multi-cornered electoral battle, politicians seem to be leaving no stone unturned while invoking divine intervention to improve their political fortune.
On the last day of the poll campaign on February 18, Channi바카라s predecessor and president of the Punjab Lok Congress, Capt. Amarinder Singh had hit the headlines for performing pooja. A viral video showed, the former chief minister donating a baby buffalo in presence of the priests as an offering to the 바카라Shani Devta바카라, a personification of the planet Saturn in Hinduism.
Punjab went to polls on February 20 to elect the 117 members for state바카라s legislative assembly. The results are scheduled to be declared on March 10.