Himachal CM, JP Nadda, Pratibha Singh seek blessings of deities

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, November 12

All senior leaders, including BJP president JP Nadda, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Congress president Pratibha Singh, started their day by seeking the blessings of their kul devis and devtas (family deities) on the crucial voting day today.

The voting for 68 constituencies started on a sluggish note but by noon voters queued up outside polling stations. There was enthusiasm among the first-time voters and women to take part in the festival of democracy. There are 1.93 lakh first-time voters in the 18-19 years age group.

Nadda, Pratibha and Thakur started their day after paying obeisance at the temple of their kul devis and devtas at their native places. Most candidates too stepped out of their homes to cast vote only after paying obeisance at the temple of their family deities.

Nadda, along with wife Mallika and other family members, sought the blessings of the family deity at his ancestral Vijaypur village in Bilaspur (Sadar) constituency. “The BJP will form the government with a comfortable majority as people have realised the benefits of a double-engine government,” said Nadda before casting his vote. He said AAP was nowhere in the contest and there was a pro-incumbency in favour of the BJP, which the results will prove on December 8.

Similarly, Pratibha Singh accompanied by her MLA son Vikramaditya Singh prayed at the Lord Shani temple in their native place Rampur before casting vote. She said people would vote the BJP out of power as every section of society was disenchanted with the BJP rule. Virbhadra Singh is no more but he still lives in the hearts of the people, she added.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur accompanied by his wife Dr Sadhna Thakur and daughters cast vote at their ancestral village in Seraj, Mandi district. “I am confident of the BJP’s victory. People have realised that it is only under PM Modi that the state and the country can develop as they have seen in the last five years,” said Thakur.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur also cast his vote at his native place Samirpur in Hamirpur district .