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Wedding muhurat clash with elections, upset party plans

ALLAHABAD: Pratapgarh resident Vidya Charan Shukla is a busy man these days. With his daughter's wedding just a few weeks away, he had been busy with the preparations until the announcement of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections played spoilsport.


From pricey wedding arrangements to relatives cancelling in invitations, the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct has upset many of Shukla's plans for the wedding.



"My daughter is to get married on May 12. I am facing a lot of problems as a number of our relatives would be busy with poll duties so they won't be coming. Secondly, the tent house and taxi owners are now charging more for their services," said Shukla.

As campaigning for the parliamentary polls picks up, Shukla and many others are busy changing plans for weddings due in April and May, which had taken months to put together.

The polling for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections would be conducted in seven phases from April 11.

While Kaushambi goes to polls on May 6, voters of Allahabad and Phulpur would cast votes on May 12. The votes would be counted on May 23.

Tent houses owners in Allahabad, Pratapgarh and Kaushambi have increased the prices of renting chairs, tents and other items, in view of the large number of political rallies to be held in these in districts.

"The rent of chairs, which till now could be rented at Rs 6 (per piece), is now up to Rs 8-9. Then there are bigger 'maharaja' chairs, for which I am paying Rs 25 now instead of Rs 20," said Shukla

The problems of Rajkumar Srivastava, a resident of Kydganj locality of Allahabad, are no different. "My nephew is to get married on April 29 and the tent owners are asking for a higher amount as advance, else they will cancel the booking," he added.

"All major caterers have booked our stock in advance as they are well short of chairs, tables, carpets, and tents," said, Santosh, who owns a tent shop in Mundera area of Allahabad.

Even taxi owners aren't behind.

"From April 10 to May 10, all cars and SUVs we have are booked. However, we are arranging vehicles from neighbouring districts to meet last-minute demands," said, Rommi, owner of a taxi service company at Leader Road.

City-based priest Acharya Devendra Prasad Tripathi said that as the Sun would enter Mesh Rashi (Aries) on April 14, the first muhurat would be observed on April 16.

"April 17, 19, 23 and 25 are other favourable dates for weddings. In May, there are a total of 11 mhurats including May 6, 12 and 23," he added.

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