With the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election approaching, politicians who have submitted applications within their parties are increasingly turning to astrologers and temple rituals, hoping to improve their chances of getting a ticket to contest.
The report notes that major parties have begun aligning for the polls—AIADMK and DMK with national and state allies—while TVK is attempting to form an alliance. Naam Tamilar Katchi has announced candidates for all 234 constituencies, raising expectations of a four-cornered contest and intensifying internal competition for seats.
Several sitting MLAs and long-time party workers are said to be visiting their kula deivam (clan deity) temples and other “parihara” (remedy) shrines. Some are also seeking guidance from astrologers and, in a few cases, inviting Kerala Namboothiris to conduct mantra-based rituals.
According to the account, photographs and horoscopes are being sent through relatives to a Kali temple in Ernakulam, Kerala, for a special pooja, with devotees believing that keeping the token issued there will help fulfil their wish of securing a seat. People from districts including Salem are also travelling with families to consult well-known astrologers and prasanna astrologers in Kerala, seeking both predictions and remedies.
Astrologers quoted in the report claim that those influenced by Venus and the Sun are more likely to succeed in politics, and say visits have increased to temples such as Srivilliputhur Andal, Madurai Meenakshi and Sankarankovil Gomathi Amman. They add that many aspirants also check the horoscopes of spouses and children and that temple visits by public figures may rise further after the recent Saturn transit.
