Lohani also said Deuba's astrological chart indicated he would be prime minister once more. But they don't want to disclose they've visited an astrologer for fear of being thought of as weak," said fortune teller Ojraj Lohani, who used to advise Deuba.
Common as well as high profile people visit and take my advice. "All kinds of people visit fortune tellers. Other politicians contacted by AFP were reluctant to discuss their luck however. "Even the Marxist politicians believe in astrology." "It is not mandatory for politicians to visit fortune tellers, but every politician does because they want luck to be on their side for every step that they make in their career," said Raghu Karki, a member of the NC's student wing. Nepal's Deuba has a reputation for being particularly superstitious - even delaying his move into the prime minister's house at the start of his latest term in June on the advice of his seer.īut politicians from all sides consult the stars. In Sri Lanka, former president Mahinda Rajapakse lavished his astrologer with a house, limousine and chauffeur - until he counselled the strongman to hold the snap election that ended his decade-long hold on power. It is not only in Nepal where politicians are gripped by seers. There was also a devastating earthquake in 2015. In the last 27 years, Nepal has had 26 prime ministers, suffered a brutal Maoist insurgency and ousted an unpopular monarchy. That is hardly welcome news in Nepal, which has endured a tumultuous transition from monarchy to democracy. "There will be instability in the country yet again," Neupane told AFP at his home in a village on the edge of Kathmandu. He predicted that Oli would in fact be the next prime minister but that his coalition would quickly crumble, allowing Deuba to retake the reins. Oli.īut Deuba's Nepali Congress faces a tough challenge in the polls from Oli's Communist CNP-UML party, which has formed an alliance with the main Maoist party that will be tough to beat.ĭeuba's astrologer, Angiras Neupane, said that according to Deuba's birth chart - calculated on the date, time and location of his birth - he would serve at least one more term in top office.īut he told AFP that it wouldn't necessarily be the next one.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has been in regular contact with his fortune teller ahead of the historic vote, the final step of a drawn-out peace process which began in 2006 with the close end of bloody civil war.ĭeuba was told he would be prime minister seven times - he is currently on his fourth term - and boldly claimed his party would win in response to taunts from opposition leader K.P.