After EC's nod, new Maha CM to perform pooja at Pandharpur temple tomorrow

New Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be performing the customary pooja at the Vitthal-Rukmini temple at Pandharpur on Sunday with the State Election Commission (SEC) giving its nod, an official said.

Traditionally, the chief minister performs pooja at the temple in the Solapur district on 'Ashadhi Ekadashi'.

But there was uncertainty as to whether Shinde, who took over as CM on June 30, would be able to attend the "official pooja" as the model code of conduct for municipal elections has come into force. The SEC on Friday announced the schedule for elections to more than 90 nagar parishads and nagar panchayats in the state including those in the Solapur district. Sanjeev Jadhav, additional district collector of Solapur, said, "As per the SEC's instructions, CM Shinde can perform the pooja without making any official announcements." Ashadhi Ekadashi -- eleventh lunar day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashadh -- marks the culmination of the 'Wari' or pilgrimage on foot to Pandharpur which lakhs of Vitthala devotees undertake every year.