(Reuters) – Hindu priests in India's southern Telangana state performed prayers and rituals on Tuesday for US Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
The 11-day prayer and ritual was organised by the Shyamala Gopalan Educational Foundation, a philanthropic organisation established in honour of Harris' mother, biomedical scientist Dr. Shyamala Gopalan who migrated to the US at 19 years old in 1958.
Nalla Suresh Reddy, founder and chairman of the foundation, said they were "seeking the divine blessings of Rajashyamala Devi for the success of Kamala Harris to become the president of the United States of America."
Polls have shown Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump to be neck and neck in battleground states. Given the close match, the candidates' efforts to ensure that their supporters actually cast ballots will likely be key in determining the winner.
More than 53 million Americans have already voted in the election, according to Election Hub at the University of Florida, in a battle that will decide who runs the world's richest and most powerful country for four years.