Political parties and a few candidates who are contesting the bypolls from the Nanjangud Assembly constituency are keen to provide lunch as prasadam to devotees during the eight-day Sri SriKanteshwaraswamy Dodda Jathra Sri Gowthama Panchamaharathothsava to be held from March 31 to April 7 at Nanjangud.
Perhaps for the first time, political parties and followers of candidates contesting the bypolls have approached the temple authorities to permit them to distribute prasadam during the car festival for obvious reasons.
The temple authorities said that supporters of a few candidates and a political party had approached them and offered to provide lunch on all the eight days at the temple to the devotees.
However, the temple authorities have decided to give priority to those who have been serving food during the car festival in the past and allow them to distribute prasadam to devotees this year also.
The temple authorities usually distribute prasadam to over 10,000 people during the car festival.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Randeep, who is also the election officer, said that political parties, politicians, and supporters are restricted from distributing anything to devotees during the car festival with the bypolls for Nanjangud to be held on April 9.
Mr. Randeep told The Hindu that distribution of food or fruits during the festival to devotees by political parties or candidates or their followers will be construed as an attempt to woo voters.
The Deputy Commissioner further said that the car festival will not be allowed to be used for political gains.
He also instructed the temple authorities not to allow any person, who is actively involved in the bypolls, to distribute anything as prasadam to devotees during the car festival. Cases will be booked against the parties or the candidates who try to misuse the religious function to woo voters, he said.
Executive officer of Sri Nanjundeshwara temple Jayaprakash told The Hindu that people who have been distributing prasadam in the past will be allowed to do it this year too.
Sri Srikanteshwaraswamy Dodda Jathra is a car festival where five chariots are pulled by the devotees through the main streets of the town. The five chariots are dedicated to Ganesha, Sri Srikanteshwara, Parvathi, Subramanya, and Chandikeshwara and there will be a grand Theppotsava for Shiva on April 9. The event is being organised by the Department of Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments.
