The famous Balapur Ganesh laddu auction in Hyderabad will have a political flavor this year due to the upcoming elections. Contestants are expected to bid for the prized laddu, which is believed to bring prosperity.
The Balapur laddu is a sacred prasadam that is auctioned off by the Balapur Ganesh Utsav Samithi every year on Ananta Chaturdashi, marking the end of the 10-day Ganeshotsav festival. The auction takes place before the mass immersion procession. This year will be the 30th year of the auction, which is an important part of the city’s Ganeshotsav celebration. The popularity of the laddu can be seen from its increasing prices over the years. In 2022, it was auctioned for a record Rs 24.6 lakh.
Due to being an election year, political party leaders may be interested in participating in the auction. In the past, leaders like Teegala Krishna Reddy and MLC Ramesh Yadav have won the laddu auction and had success in elections. The auction money is used for the development of the village where Balapur Ganapati is located.
The auction was canceled in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic restrictions. However, this year, it will take place on September 28. BJP leader Shankar Reddy mentioned that there may be more individuals participating, including those from political backgrounds and realtors. Six members have already registered for the auction.