Karnataka elections: How Modi narrowly avoided the Chamrajanagar jinx

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to begin his Karnataka campaign from Santhemaranahalli village on Monday, rumours are rife that Karnataka BJP campaign managers have planned the public meet at Santhemaranahalli village instead of Chamrajanagar district to avoid jinx attached to the city.

It is not clear whether BJP campaign managers intentionally avoid holding the rally in Chamrajanagar or PM Modi did know about this age-old belief.

But, the jinx attached to Chamrajanagar is well known in the political circle. It is believed that politicians lost power after a visit to Chamarajanagar town. There are examples which prove superstition attached Chamrajnagar to be true.

It is said former CMs D Devaraj Urs, R Gundu Rao, Ramakrishna Hegde, SR Bommai, Veerendra Patil and Kumaraswamy lost power soon after visiting the town. Even former CM H D Kumaraswamy was the last CM to visit the town in June 2007 and a couple of months later, the JD(S)-BJP government fell.

On the other hand, former CMs across political parties did not visit the city out of fear of losing power. Former CMs S Bangarappa, M Veerappa Moily, HD Deve Gowda, JH Patel, SM Krishna, N Dharam Singh, BS Yeddyurappa and DV Sadananda Gowda avoided visiting Chamarajanagar.

When Chamrajnagar was carved out of Mysore district in 1998, then CM JH Patel inaugurated it at a function organised in MM Hills in Kollegal, 40 km from Chamarajanagar.

However, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited Chamarajnagar to prove the superstition wrong. In fact, he pulled up media for glorifying superstition. In public function, Siddaramaiah said, "Media keeps warning chief ministers of losing power if they visit Chamarajanagar. Me still in power despite visiting Chamarajanagar 11 times as the chief minister has shut the media up."

Chamarajanagar is the southernmost district in Karnataka. It was carved out of the original larger Mysore District in the year 1998. Chamarajanagar town is the headquarters of this district.