‘Rahu kalam’ forces 90-minute break as Pondy MLAs take oath

PUDUCHERRY: The interplay of superstition and politics is nothing unusual with even the most rational politicians known to succumb to superstitions. So it came as no surprise when ‘Rahu Kalam’ (the inauspicious time span according to Hindu astrology) on Wednesday forced a 90-minute break in the swearing-in ceremony of newly-elected and nominated members of the Puducherry legislative assembly.
Most of the politicians cutting across party lines preferred not to swear in during the inauspicious ‘Rahu Kalam’ between noon and 1.30pm.
Pro-tem speaker K Lakshminarayanan began administering the oath of office at 10am. All India NR Congress, Congress, DMK, five independent and three nominated members took the oath. But a few minutes before the clock struck 12, the ceremony was stopped. After the inauspicious time passed, the remaining MLAs — four BJP MLAs and an independent MLA — took the oath.