On D-Day, candidates make beeline for temples

New Delhi, May 7 (IANS) Do your best and leave the rest to god was the mantra for most of the Lok Sabha candidates in Delhi as they began their day Thursday by offering prayers in temples and performing religious rituals.

'I woke up early morning Thursday, bathed and went to the temple seeking blessings from the almighty. My wife and daughter offered prayers at home and put a tika (vermilion) on my forehead as a winning mark,' Ajay Maken, Congress candidate from New Delhi constituency, told IANS.

Vijay Goel, his challenger from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) went to a Hanuman temple and offered prayers.

'I went to the Hanuman temple next to my house and paid obeisance to the god. It is a Hindu ritual that before starting any good work we invoke god. We did what we can to reach out to voters and now it is in god's hand and he is with me,' said Goel, after casting his vote.

Some of the candidates even sought advice from priests to know about the auspicious moment for them to exercise their franchise.

Congress candidate from northeast Delhi, J.P. Aggarwal cast his vote at sharp 12 p.m. as advised by his family priest, his close aide said.

Vijender Gupta, BJP candidate from Chandni Chowk, offered a ritualistic puja at home and then went to vote in Rohini at 7 a.m.

'He has been taking rounds of his constituency, and keeping track of the polling since morning,' said Vikas Verma, Gupta's media advisor.

Congress candidate from Chandni Chowk, Kapil Sibal, went to the Gauri Shankar temple after casting his vote.

'First thing that he did in the morning was to go and cast his vote with his wife. After that he went to the Gauri Shankar temple,' said Sibal's close aide.

'I went to Kalkaji temple at 4 in the morning and prayed for the voter turnout to be good and I am sure god will be with me,' said Meera Kanwaria, Congress candidate from northwest Delhi.