Aishwarya Rai’s parents meet the dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala temple in Mangalore on Friday. (PTI)

New Delhi, Jan. 19: A planet with an evil eye held up the engagement; now even the political calendar is butting into the wedding plans.

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai are struggling to get the date right for their biggest home production, sources close to the Bachchans said.

There are just too many factors to take into account, including election dates, hung Assemblies and Parliament agendas.

So there’s a chance the wedding might not happen in February or March. Bollywood’s first couple are believed to be even exploring dates towards the end of 2007.

One reason, of course, is that Abhishek, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan as well as Aishwarya are booked for films, some being shot and some about to be. Abhishek is tied up for two years, Amitabh for a year and a half, Aishwarya for a year and Jaya for four to five months, the sources said.

The young couple have other commitments, too, such as stage shows.

But that isn’t all. Jaya, re-elected to the Rajya Sabha after the office-of-profit row, “takes her Parliament job seriously and doesn’t want long periods of absence from the House”, a source said.

The Samajwadi Party MP rarely misses a day in Parliament and sits through discussions and debates her colleagues are ever ready to skip. Foreign policy is believed to be a favourite, with Jaya “closely” following the developments on the nuclear deal.

With the budget session slated from mid-February and set to resume after a Holi break, an early 2007 wedding may not suit her.

If that suggests April, this is where the other “member” of the Bachchan family comes in. Amitabh’s “younger brother” Amar Singh will be busy with the Uttar Pradesh elections, likely to be held that month. Jaya, too, is expected to campaign extensively.

Then, if the results throw up a hung House, Amar Singh may be grounded in Lucknow for weeks.

Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya are believed to be giving their schedules a thorough scan, sifting what can be put off from what can’t.

But neither the Gregorian calendar nor the political will have the last word. Whatever date is selected, it must pass the vedic calendar’s test for good luck.

A source said Amitabh personally wants the wedding to be a simple affair, although Abhishek and Aishwarya might not share the feeling.

“Amitji may not be thinking of a five-star hotel or an exotic location — he may be considering the Rai home or some remote temple as the venue.”

The buzz is, Amitabh doesn’t want a huge reception, either.

Would Sonia Gandhi and her family be invited to the wedding? The sources were tight-lipped, merely recalling how Amitabh’s parents had put Sonia up at their home after her arrival in India till the marriage with Rajiv.