Thaindian News

By Madhusree Chatterjee
New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) The stars and the weather do not foretell well for the 15th Lok Sabha poll in April-May.

While April may turn out to be cruel in terms of the mercury, which touches 40 degrees Celsius and beyond in most states of India, crystal-gazers see a turbulent political atmosphere post-poll - one that could be marked by an anarchy-like situation and violence.

The five-phase parliamentary elections begin April 16.

“This election is not good for the Indian constitution. The country has seen too much criminsalisation of politics and it does not point to good times ahead,” astrologer Jagannath Mishra, associated with the Arya Samaj Mandir at Harit Vihar in the capital, told IANS.

Mishra felt that the smaller parties - especially the state-level ones - could improve their fortunes and the country would possibly see another coalition government.

“The period post-election will be marked by terrorism, treachery and violence,” he said ominously.

To coumpound the grim prophecies, Mishra, like many of his peers, predicted earthquakes and sea storms - probably mini tsunamis - which could cause damage to life and property in a couple of months after the elections.

However, Mishra saw a marginal improvement in the bleak financial scenario.

Astrologer Ashok Sanoria echoed Mishra. “Around September, when five planets converge in Scorpio, the climate will prove fickle. Storms, those that originate in water, will ravage the US and will also affect India,” Sanoria, who has a consultation cell in Vivek Vihar, told IANS.

A new government will be in place in September, Sanoria said.

The astrologer, who took part in the Nakshatra Festival at the Pragati Maidan in Delhi, was recently interviwed by a national television channel for helping trace a kidnapped child with the help of his “Egyptian vaastu pendulum” that responds to queries.

The election, predicted Sanoria, would not benefit any party - neither the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor the Congress. “This time, three parties are going to make the govenrment and BJP might be at the forefront,” Sanoria contended.

But the coalition government will not last for more than a year and a half. “Then the Congress will make a comeback, but Manmohan Singh will not be prime minister. It will be a surprise choice,” Sanoria said.

The soothsayer hinted that the future prime minsiter could be a woman. Explaining the position of the planets, he said as the king of the zodaic formation would then be Venus and its minister (attendant) the moon, the comibation could pitchfork an intelligent woman to power because both the planets are feminine.

“It could be Jayalalitha for her personal horoscope is very strong,” he said.

“Neither L.K. Advani nor Mayawati can become prime minister now. Advani, who is now under the influence of Saturn (mahadasha of shani), will probably become prime minister later in life. However, this period will be good for Advani unlike the Vidhan Sabha poll, when the stars in his personal horoscope were not favourable,” Sanoria predicted.

Renowned astrologer Bejan Daruwalla, who is in Kolkata at the moment, said he did not have the time to work out the positions of the planets during elections. “I do not want to predict something funny. But I think India will ultimately do well. I had predicted last year that the country would win an Oscar either in 2008 or 2009,” the astrologer, who was honoured with an award recently, told IANS from Kolkata.

Delhi-based astrologer B.B.Sharma, whose grandfather Mangat Ram Sharma was one of the three astrologers who decided the time for the country’s declaration of Independence in 1947, said the temporary positions of planets in April could benefit the Congress.

“Sun, which is now facing Saturn, will enter Aries and will augur well for those in power. Sun relates to power and royalty. Saturn, which is also another powerful planet, will be free of sun’s fierce glare and politicians who are ruled by Saturn will gain,” he said.

Jupiter, the noble ruler of the zodiac, is now debilitated in conjunct with node Rahu (guru-chandal yog), which will have a grim bearing on politics and on the fate of the nation as a whole, cautioned Sharma, whose family has been associated with the Birla Temple for nearly six decades.

“It is better if the country concentrates on strengthening its economy and eradicating poverty by building more employment opporunities. Elections will deplete finances and will not be able to address core issues,” said Prem Nath Updhayay, an astrologer in south Delhi’s Kalkaji area.

“Invoking Jupiter through enterprise and knowledge should be the priority now to shake off the malefic influence of Saturn, Mars and Rahu on the country’s polity and economy,” he added.

(Madhusree Chatterjee can be contacted at madhu.c@ians.in)