Deoghar, April 8 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma offered prayers at the Baba Baidyanath Temple in Jharkhand's Deoghar district on Wednesday, a day before the high-stakes elections in his state.
Accompanied by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, Sarma arrived under tight security and proceeded directly to the sanctum sanctorum to perform rituals at the revered jyotirlinga.
A team of priests assisted him with offerings of bel leaves, sacred water, and chanting of Vedic mantras. Following the ceremony, the temple committee presented Sarma with a symbolic emblem of Baba Baidyanath.
He did not speak to the press during the visit.
Polling for the 126-member assembly will begin at 7 am on Thursday and conclude at 5 pm. The votes will be counted on May 4.
The BJP is seeking a third consecutive term in Assam, while the Congress aims to regain the state it lost in 2016.
One of the 12 jyotirlingas, Baidyanath Dham is among India's most significant pilgrimage sites, drawing lakhs of devotees, especially during the holy month of Shravan.