The Gujarat assembly election dates next month coincide with the marriage season, when a large number of people are likely to remain busy planning and participating in such events, wedding planners have said.
However, some political leaders said they will try to convince people to take some time out from their social engagements to cast their vote.
According to wedding pundits, dates like December 2, 4, and 8 are among the most auspicious for marriages and hundreds of wedding functions are planned during that time.
The Gujarat assembly polls will be held in two phases, on December 1 and 5, and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.
The marriage season will get busy from November 22 and last until the beginning of 'kamurta' period from December 16 when no auspicious events are planned, as per some wedding planners.
They said hundreds of weddings are planned between November 22 and December 16, with a large number of events scheduled on the auspicious dates of December 2, 4 and 8.
Since Covid-19-related restrictions like night curfew and limit on the number of guests have been lifted, the number of wedding events planned this winter season has risen sharply, they said.
"There is a wedding rush and a large number of such functions are planned this season," Anand Thakrar from The Shadi Planner, a Vadodara-based firm, told PTI.
"Since the Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted, the number of guests at wedding functions is also seen increasing sharply to 500-1,000 people. This is also a key difference compared to last year," he said.
Priest Kamlesh Trivedi from Ahmedabad said the auspicious wedding dates are between November 25 and December 14, before the nearly month-long 'kamurta' period starts on December 16.
"A large number of weddings are planned on the 'muhurat' dates -- November 28, 29 and December 2, 4, and 8, which are around the election schedule," Trivedi said.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi noted that people have scheduled weddings and cannot defer them for elections.
"But, we will try to convince them to take some time out to cast vote. A marriage is important no doubt, but they can take out some time to participate in this celebration of democracy," he said.
Doshi claimed the people of Gujarat have made up their mind for a change and will find a way out from their social engagements, including weddings, to exercise their franchise.
Gujarat Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Karan Barot said, "It is the responsibility of the people to ensure the victory of a good candidate, irrespective of which political party he/she belongs to."
Hence, they are requested to vote for their favourite local leader, even if it means taking out some time from their social commitments, he said.
"As a political party, we would like to request them that even as they have to attend weddings or other functions, they must make sure the good candidates win irrespective of the political parties they represent," Barot added.
Of the total 182 assembly seats in Gujarat, voting in 89 seats will be held on December 1 and in 93 seats on December 5.
