Fortune Gems and Jewellery store on Ranchi’s Circular Road, which MP hopefuls are visiting for astrological advice, on Wednesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Guruji kuch upay batayein ki kaise election jeete. Kaun sa ratan pehene ki mera grah dosh samapth ho jaye (Guruji, suggest few ways to ensure win at the polls. Which gemstone should I wear to ward off planetary ill-effects).

Yeh kshetra hamare liye thik hai ki nahi? Mera naam isse milta hai ki nahi? (Is my constituency lucky for me? Do our names match?)

With Lok Sabha polls all set to begin, MP hopefuls of Jharkhand are busy asking questions like these to Ranchi astrologers. Be it BJP, Congress, JMM or JVM, candidates of all parties are making a beeline outside jewellery stores-cum-astrology joints to seek information about their dasha (planetary positions) and possible remedies.

“Many candidates are visiting us to seek remedies that help them win with huge margins. After careful analysis of birth stars, we are recommending suitable gemstones to ward off negative influences,” said astrologer Dr P.K. Gupta of Fortune Gems and Jewellery on Circular Road, adding that candidates of all parties were coming to him.

“We are recommending many hopefuls to perform pujas to ward off planetary ill-effects. Most of them are requesting us not to disclose their names,” he added.

When asked about his predictions on which party would rule the roost in Jharkhand, he replied: “All are working hard. But, BJP will emerge at the top, followed closely by Congress and JVM.”

Astrologer and gemologist Dr Rajan Raj, whose office is in Lower Chutia, said: “Candidates who can face hurdles in winning owing to stronger planetary position of their opponents are suggested to wear gemstones according to reading of their horoscopes.”

Among MP hopefuls who confessed to seeking astrologers’ advice are former DGP V.D. Ram, running for BJP from Palamau and his arch rival and Trinamul Congress candidate Kameshwar Baitha. This apart, BJP state president Ravindra Rai, running from Koderma and Lohardaga’s Congress nominee Rameshwar Oraon are also swearing by the stars. All the three seats go to polls on Thursday.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Rai candidly said, “Dekhiye kya hota hai. Hum jyotish vigyan par vishwas karte hai (Let’s see what happens. I have faith in astrology).”