3 Governments survive on astrology

Jaipur : In a spiritual turn of events, the governments of three states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka - have turned to astrology to ensure they complete their full terms, a Madhya Pradesh-based astrologer has claimed.

The seer cites a picture of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath sitting in a religious posture while performing astrological rituals for smooth functioning of his government.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress government has a wafer-thin majority with 114 seats while the BJP has 109 seats in the 230-member Assembly.

The astrologer also shared a picture of an official purportedly sent by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who on the Chief Minister's behalf performed rituals for the well-being of the state government.

In the desert state, the Congress government has been in turmoil since its rout in the Lok Sabha polls with an ongoing tussle between Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot while on the other hand, the BJP too is trying to corner the Congress citing its failure in meeting the promises made during the Assembly polls regarding loan waivers.

Speaking to IANS, the astrologer also said that a state minister from Karnataka has invited him "28 times" since the last one year of the formation of the government in the southern state to ensure it lasts the full five years.

In Karnataka too, Congress-JD(S) alliance government is on the brink with the BJP winning one of the two Assembly seats for which bypolls were held, adding to its stupendous show in the Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The BJP now has 105 MLAs in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, only eight short of a simple majority.