Hyderabad: Politicos gear up to woo wedding guests

Hyderabad: Despite the Chief Minister repeatedly sending messages to people in the State about the possibility of the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, politicians of all hues are set to make hay while the sun shines.

Poll-bound Greater Hyderabad is going to witness large number of marriages on Friday, it being a 'Shubh Mangal' day. After a long gap, all marriage halls and even temples are full and are going to provide a good opportunity to the politicians.

Leaders of all political parties are seeing an opportunity in these celebrations to campaign for their candidates in the GHMC elections. They are getting ready to visit marriage venues in their respective divisions. Most of the candidates have cancelled their poll campaign for half a day to attend wedding functions organised in big function halls. It is estimated that more than 5,000 marriages will be held in the entire Greater Hyderabad area on the auspicious day though the number of guests at each marriage may not be more than 50 due to Covid-19 restrictions.

To overcome this problem, the candidates have already informed the families of the marriage parties to ensure proper arrangements during their visit with a group of local leaders to bless the newlywed couple.

Special arrangements have been made to meet the visitors attending the functions. On an average, each contestant will attend at least five marriages in each division in the poll bound wards which come under Uppal, LB Nagar, Secunderabad, Malkajgiri, Kukatpally and Sherlingampally Assembly constituencies where the number of function halls are high.

Astrologers said there were only nine more auspicious dates November 25, 27 and 30, and December 1, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 to get married in 2020. In 2021, there are no auspicious Hindu marriage dates between January and March.

The contestants are assessing the popularity of the families which would be conducting the marriage ceremony in their divisions to give priority to attend the function. Leaders said the parties were leaving no stone unturned to lure the voters. Some party candidates are ready to offer big gifts like smart phone and electronic appliances to the newlywed couples. Some of them are offering monetary help to the families who could not afford to organise the lavish marriage receptions.

On the request of families, some political parties are also providing free transportation facility like cars and buses to bring the wedding parties to the city from the districts.

The ruling TRS candidates are first among others to offer any kind of assistance to the marriage parties in the divisions in Uppal and LB Nagar Assembly segments. The BJP and the Congress leaders are also trying their best to meet good number of voters at the wedding event and convince them in support of their candidates in the prestigious GHMC elections