Sycophancy as a tool for political survival and promotion is a well-established tradition in Indian politics.
But in Rajasthan, it is reaching bizarre proportions as Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has been depicted as Goddess Lakshmi in a new calendar released by BJP workers in Jodhpur.
She is depicted as Goddess Laksmi showering her blessings on her ministerial colleagues, who are depicted as royal courtiers.
The creator of the calendar is a former BJP vice president from Jodhpur who says that Raje completely deserves divine status for all that she's done.
The kind of work that Vasundhara Raje has done could have been done by a Devi. We must all pray to her. There should be no second thoughts about it, said Hemant Bohra, Former BJP Vice President, Jodhpur.
But this isn't the first time that sycophants have deified Raje.
Last year, a junior minister in Rajasthan had admitted to worshipping her as Goddess Durga and earlier a Vasundhara Chaleesa was written to please the Chief Minister.
But this latest move has offended many who say that equating a mortal like Raje with a deity is an insult to people's religious sentiments.
I think its quite weird because the position that Gods hold should not be given to some politicians. They are just humans and this should not be done. It's quite regressive, said a local.
In her three-year tenure, Raje's belief in divine powers has been well publicized, including holding prayers for rains at government cost.
While it's unclear whether Raje agrees with those deifying her, the cult of sycophancy is clearly rising in Rajasthan.
