Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasheker Rao participates in Ayutha Chandi Maha Yagam at Medak on Thursday, December 24, 2015. (Press Trust of India photo)
Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker K Siva Prasad Rao today attended the five-day 'Ayutha Maha Chandi Yagam' being performed by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at his farm house near Hyderabad.
Several religious gurus, including Sri Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamy and Swami Paripoornanda, also attended the event at Erravelli village in neighbouring Medak district.
The 'Ayutha Chandi Maha Yagam', being performed for universal good and peace, began on December 23.
Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Bandaru Dattatreya, Supreme Court judge Justice J Chamaleshwar and several other prominent persons yesterday attended the 'yagam'.
About 2,000 pundits from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra are performing the rituals at the 'yagam'.
The Telangana Chief Minister had made it clear that no government money is being spent for the 'yagam'.
However, opposition parties such as Congress, BJP and CPI(M) hit out at him for allegedly misusing government machinery.
Alleging that donations have been received from contractors and businessmen by the ruling TRS, All India Congress Committee spokesperson and former lawmaker Madhu Yashki Goud had demanded that the details of such collections be made public.
Congress would seek a CBI inquiry into the matter otherwise, he had said.
BJP disapproved of the "exorbitant splurge of money and misusing government machinery for a personal event", though Telangana BJP spokesperson Krishna Sagar Rao said the party supported performing "yagnas and yagas" for the larger public good.
The Telangana CPI(M) unit alleged that the 'yagam' being performed by the chief minister is against the Constitution, as it promotes superstition among people.
President Pranab Mukherjee is expected to attend the 'yagam' on December 27, according to a release from Mr Rao's office.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu would attend the event on December 27.