Hyderabad: With all the headaches of forming alliances, managing disgruntled partymen and dealing with defections, political leaders are worried enough about their chances to seek the guidance of astrologers.
Filing of nominations begins in two days and no major party is in a position to announce their list of candidates due to the uncertainty over alliances.
Astrologers, who claim knowledge that is denied to other mortals, are thus much in demand to answer anxious questions about the chances of securing a ticket, which would be a favourable constituency, and even which party to jump into if the party they are in denies them a ticket.
Astrologers have gleefully increased their charges, making hay while the sun shines. Whatever the validity of their predictions, they are keen to preserve confidentiality about their VIP clients.
“Astrologers cannot disclose the names of VIP clients who approach them. They want us to keep this information highly confidential. But, most of them who approach us are sitting MLAs and MPs. They want us to advise them on whether to opt for an MP seat or an MLA seat; which constituency is favourable, and their chances of winning,” said noted astrologer Bhavani Shankar.
A few top astrologers in the city charge between Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 for their predictions normally, with the majority charging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000. But now they are charging double that amount from their anxious VIP clients.
Inquiries revealed that Khairatabad sitting MLA Danam Nagendar has sought advice from astrologers on whether to contest from the same seat or shift to Jubilee Hills constituency.
Amberpet sitting MLA G. Kishan Reddy has sought help in deciding whether the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat or the Amberpet Assembly seat is a better bet.
Former home minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy’s son P. Karthik Reddy is keen to make his political debut and is eyeing a Congress ticket but has sought guidance on whether to opt for an Assembly or Lok Sabha seat. He was apparently advised to try for the Chevella Lok Sabha seat.
Sanathnagar legislator M. Shashidhar Reddy wants to know what are the chances of his son M. Aditya Reddy contesting from the Sanathnagar Assembly seat.
