Come Ugadi festival, it has been a practice for all political parties to conduct celebrations at their respective party offices every year.
The government, of course, conducts the official celebrations at Ravindra Bharati with the chief minister being the chief guest.
Vedic pundits read out the “panchangam” (almanac) and predict what is in store for the politics parties and their heads.
At the official celebrations, the pundits give Veda Aasheervachanam for the chief minister and bless him with success in his future endeavours.
Needless to say, all these predictions are stage managed.
The pundits who take part in the Ugadi celebrations of the opposition parties say they have a bright future in the coming years and their party would definitely come to power.
On the other hand, at the official celebrations, the duty of the Vedic pundit is to pray the chief minister, his vision, his schemes and his grip over the party and predict that the ruling would return to power again in the next elections as the people are behind the party.
This year, however, there are no such official celebrations in both the Telugu states.
Reason: the model code of conduct has come into force and the government is not supposed to conduct any official events.
Even unofficially, the Ugadi celebrations are on a low key, as the leaders are immersed in hectic election campaign.
In Telangana, the Congress celebrated the Ugadi festivities at Gandhi Bhavan, but important leaders like Revanth Reddy and deputy chief minister Mallu Bhattivikramarka and N Uttam Kumar Reddy stayed away. They confined their celebrations to their homes.
Even in Telangana Bhavan, the Ugadi festivities are on a low key, as KCR and his family members stayed away. Apparently, KCR stayed put in his farmhouse.
In Andhra Pradesh, too, there are no official celebrations at Tadepalli, unlike in the past and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy took the blessings of Vedic pundits at his night stay at Gantavaripalem in Guntur district.
So is the case with TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, as there are no big celebrations at the TDP office at Mangalagiri.
So, even Vedic pundits could not get an opportunity to make election predictions!