Solapur, June 27
Cold-shouldered by almost the entire political spectrum in Maharashtra, an unfazed and smiling Telangana Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao reached the famed Shri Vitthal Rukmini Temple in Pandharpur, here on Tuesday morning.
Appearing fresh and cheerful after his seven-hour long road journey on Monday, KCR – as he’s popular in his state and political circles – made the temple his first port of call this morning.
Clad in his trademark full-sleeved white shirt and trousers, KCR smiled and waved at the crowds lined up on both sides as he walked the winding distance from the parking lot to the temple.
The route is partially covered under a green marquee for the lakhs of devotees expected for the auspicious Ashadhi Ekadashi festival on June 29 to offer some protection from the monsoon that has just started pouring all over the state.
KCR glanced at the engraved large silver doors of the temple entrance, he was received and guided by the security and a couple of temple Trustees, walked straight to the sanctum sanctorum.
There he encountered the divinely imposing idols of Lord Vitthal and his consort Rukmini in their black-silver shining splendour, and decorated with multi-coloured flower garlands.
KCR was welcomed by the temple authorities, he gazed at the idols of Lord Vitthal and Rukmini with folded hands, bowed his head and offered his silent prayers, as the priests chanted the holy mantras in the special pooja organised today.
After the short pooja, the CM made an offering of a box to the Lord and in a reciprocal gesture, was garlanded by a Trustee.
Then he was escorted to a hall outside and felicitated by the temple authorities with a gold-and-saffron shawl draped around his shoulders, mementos comprising statues of Lord Vitthal and Rukmini in a glass case, and a large painting of the Lord.
Hoping to expand his Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS)'s base in Maharashtra, KCR reached Solapur in a 600-plus vehicles, six-km long convoy, driving nearly seven hours from Hyderabad to Pandharpur.
Accompanying him is the entire Telangana cabinet, all legislators and parliamentarians and party office-bearers on the ‘mega-pilgrimage’ that has evoked sharp reactions from the state political parties.
After the ‘temple yatra’, KCR visited the home of veteran Nationalist Congress Party leader, Bhagirath Bhalke in Sarkoli town.
KCR offered his tributes to the late Pandharpur strongman and former NCP MLA Bharat Bhalke who was felled by Covid-19 in Nov. 2020, after which his son Bhagirath had taken over the party reins here.
Bhagirath, along with scores of his supporters made a formal entry to the BRS and was inducted by KCR at a function organised in Sarkoli, and addressed a public rally there.
After completing the Pandharpur engagements KCR and his team are scheduled to travel to the revered Tulja Bhavani Temple in Tuljapur – considered one of the 51 Shakti Peeths – and offer prayers.
Barring the standard protocol niceties and security extended, KCR & Co. remained largely ignored by the state and all the political parties, and the visitors were declined permission to shower flower petals on the Warkari processions proceeding to the temple from across the state.
The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress-Nationalist Congress Party-Shiv Sena (UBT) have reacted to KCR’s ‘political pilgrimage’ with sniggers and none-too-flattering comments.
A far cry from the warm hugs and handshakes KCR had received from Shiv Sena (UBT) President and the (then) CM Uddhav Thackeray and NCP President Sharad Pawar in Mumbai in February 2022.
