Flags of the BJP and Congress.
Credit: PTI File Photos.
Jaipur: As election day in Rajasthan nears, both BJP and Congress seem to be relying on saffron-clad saints to see them through this tough electoral battle.
To counter the anti-Hindu narrative of BJP, Congress on Thursday inducted Sadhvi Anadi Saraswati into their party fold, who perhaps would bolster the party’s soft-Hindutva approach and bring back the radical voters, who often disapprove of the grand old party’s "appeasement politics".
Sadhvi, 44, was earlier with the BJP and was expecting a ticket from Ajmer North, but was declined. So she resigned from BJP on Wednesday and joined Congress in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Sadhvi, a social worker, who has been spreading spiritual awareness amongst the people, believes the platform is irrelevant and she as a saint would keep working for the welfare of all living beings.
Praising Gehlot for "fulfilling promises instead of just mouthing them", Sadhvi, clad in saffron robes, said, “I think I am identified as a saint in the whole society. A saint is above any party politics. And a saint thinks of Sanatan Dharma and the whole world as his family. His or her only goal is to serve humanity. A saint does not require a stage. He or she is only focussed on working for the people.”
In an oblique dig at BJP, which denied her a ticket, Sadhvi said : “Whenever we are invited with respect, for work, we go there and attach importance to the fact that we would get a chance to work.”
Sadhvi, who is active on social media, is ironically a follower of Yogi Adityanath, and is said to idolise him in terms of social work. She is also a firebrand motivational speaker and often gets invited by corporates.
With a masters in Sociology, she has studied Patanjali Yogdarshan, Bhagwad Geeta and the Vedas in depth. She was earlier known as Mamata Kalani and calls herself a descendant of Hemu Kalani, a revolutionary freedom fighter in the Independence movement.
After completing her education, Sadhvi turned spiritual. She became a disciple of Premanand Saraswati Mahanirvan Akhara in 2008 and she now heads the Swami Anadi Saraswati Chiti Sandhan Yog Ashram. In 2017, she took the initiative in Ajmer to turn cremation places eco-friendly and clean.
Her Linkedin profile reads : "Maa Anadi Saraswati is a chosen one on the path of harmony, love and enlightenment. Her Karma is to completely supplicate herself in the service of God and his people.”
Sadhvi is expected to peddle the Congress’ Hindutva push amidst the BJP’s attempt to paint it as anti-Hindu. Aspiring a ticket from Ajmer North, she may be a strong counter to BJP’s Vasudev Devnani, who is from the RSS background, and who has been winning this seat from 2003.
Gehlot, who is going all out with his social guarantees, does not want to seem lacking in the religious segment. Just like his colleague, Kamal Nath in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, who does not shy away from embracing soft Hindutva and has engaged 32-year-old kathavachak Richa Goswami who aims to bring tales of Bhagwad Geeta and Raas Leela to every home, Gehlot too is wooing the saints and godmen just days before the polls.
Meanwhile, BJP on Thursday gave ticket to another saffron-clad saint, Balmukund Acharya from Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal constituency in Old city.
He has been active in the region and was vocal when a Shiv temple was said to be damaged in the Muslim-dominated Ramganj area. Jaipur’s Old City has a number of temples and the concerned temple in Chokri Topkhana in Ramganj was closed for many years.
A controversy had erupted when Balmukund visited the temple with his supporters a few days back and complained about anti-social elements encroaching the temple premises. He even lodged a complaint over this, had a run-in with the police and held a press conference right at the temple. His protest video consequently went viral, perhaps helping him to land a BJP ticket.
The seat is held by Congress strongmen and Gehlot’s close confidant Dr Mahesh Joshi is the current MLA but his name hasn’t figured till now.