Rationalist Challenges Astrologers: Predict Election Results and Win One Million Rupees!

Mangaluru: Prof. Narendra Nayak, the national president of the Federation of Rationalist Associations of India, has issued his ninth challenge to astrologers across the country: predict the results of the upcoming general elections and win a cash prize of one million rupees! In the past eight challenges he had found no winner- “so sad that nobody is accurate” he said with a wry smile.

In his latest challenge announcement, Prof. Nayak declared, “This challenge is open to astrologers, numerologists, ESP practitioners, ‘tambula jyotishya’, and anyone else who claims to predict the future through divine powers. We invite them to demonstrate the accuracy of their predictions for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in May-June. There is no entry fee. This is purely a chance to validate the so-called 'predictive sciences'.”

To formalise the challenge, Prof. Nayak has set forth specific guidelines for participants. “All responses must be precise. No alternative numbers or names will be accepted. Every question must be answered in full. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. Entries must be submitted before the end of polling on June 4th. Late submissions will not be considered. The prize will be awarded to entries that provide all correct answers within the permissible margin of error. Only entries with all twenty correct answers will be eligible. If multiple entries are correct, the prize will be split equally. Each entry must include the participant’s full name and address, and each person is allowed only one entry. The method used for making the predictions must also be specified.”

The challenge document lists the names of candidates and constituencies, detailing the results participants need to predict. Prof. Nayak emphasised the seriousness of the challenge by stating, “The award amount is one million rupees (ten lakhs), subject to applicable taxes.”

Participants are required to predict:

1. Which party will secure the majority?

2. The exact number of parliamentary seats won by each party, with a margin of error of ±5%. This includes parties like the BJP, Indian National Congress, Samajwadi Party, BJD, DMK, TRS, YSRCP, CPI (M), CPI, AIADMK, NCP, TMC, and AAP.

3. The number of votes (to the nearest hundred, with a margin of error of ±5%) for the following candidates:

- Narendra Modi in Varanasi

- Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad

- Kanhaiya Kumar in North East Delhi

- Padmaraj R in Dakshina Kannada

- Amit Shah in Gandhinagar

- Tejasvi Surya in Bengaluru South

Entries must be sent to:

Narendra Nayak

13-0-1220/2, Sukrat Apartments

V.T. Road, Mangalore-575001

or emailed to narenyen@gmail.com

by June 1, 2024.