After hectic campaigning, they take it easy

Gagandeep Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 5

Following the tireless toil and hectic election campaigning of more than a month, the candidates of various parties today woke up calmly without any haste to meet voters or going to rallies.

Most of the candidates had breakfast with their respective families. Some of them went to religious places. Many spent their morning, analysing voting at various booths in the constituency. Some of the candidates went from village to village thanking voters for their support to him.

The Congress candidate from Jalandhar (Central), Rajinder Beri, today started his day by having breakfast with his family after more than a month. “I used to have breakfast with party workers or at rally venues as I used to wake up early to start my campaign. But today I enjoyed breakfast with my family,” he added.

Beri said, “I have had meeting with party workers where we analysed vote share of the Congress party at every booth. I am feeling contented with the evaluation so far. I attended some religious programmes where I thanked the voters.”

On his programme to spend the time of more than a month till the result, he said he would go out to thank the voters. Apart from this, he has planned to execute the pending family works. “Since my wife is a councillor, I would be helping her in completing the corporation jobs,” he added.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate from Kartarpur, Balwinder Kumar, said he had a good time in the morning with his family after a long time. “I used to get up at around 5 am during the election campaigning. Yet today I woke up late in the morning as I had nothing scheduled to do,” said Balwinder.

“I attended some religious programmes in the constituency organised by party workers.”

“I had a small meeting with party workers to evaluate the voting process, where I thanked the party workers for their help,” he added.

On his programme till the result comes, he said he had always remained busy with the people and would do the same now. “It doesn’t matter to me if I win or lose. I will serve the people of constituency. If I win, I would serve as an MLA, if not I would serve them as an opposition leader. Meanwhile, I would start meeting people to express my gratitude to them,” he added.

Congress candidate from Adampur, Mohinder Singh Kaypee, has witnessed several such occasions in his life. Today, he had a relaxing time in the morning. “The first thing in the morning I did was going to the shrine of Murad Shah. Meanwhile, I am going to Mata Chintapurni to pay obeisance as it has been a long time that I have gone there,” he added.

On his plans of a month till the results, he said, “It is very difficult to spend this time, though I have planned to organise meetings in the villages to thanks my voters and knowing their issues that I would address after the result. The Adampur constituency has been put on the backburner as far as development was concerned during the SAD-BJP regime. People have got so many issues to be redressed,” he added.

Keeping his sportsmanship alive, Congress candidate from the Jalandhar cantonment, Pargat Singh, started his day at a gym. “It had been long since I had gone to the gym. Therefore, the first thing I did in the morning was doing some exercise in the gym,” he added.

He said there was a lot of domestic work piled up. So, he remained busy with that later. “I also met some party workers in the morning. I am planning to have some relaxing time for a while before scheduling anything,” he added.

Phillaur AAP candidate Saroop Singh Kadiana said while the day was reserved for meetings, from tomorrow onwards, it will be work as usual. A dhadi, he shall be holding kirtan dewans from tomorrow on. Today Kadiana, the AAP’s pick from the Phillaur constituency, met various villagers and attended various ceremonies weddings and meetings with volunteers. Off to meet one of his supporters when The Tribune caught up with him, Kadiana said, “It’s been a busy campaign and now I am catching up with supporters. But from tomorrow on, it shall be work as usual.”

AAP candidates in the Jalandhar urban constituencies relaxed with their families or went back to work after the polling day. While Jalandhar Cantt candidate HS Walia took a stroll in the local Nikku Park along with his family, he shall also be off to a family vacation soon.

Walia said, “My children and my work remained completely ignored during the polls. So today has been dedicated to them. We ate out and then took a walk in the park. While we shall be off to a four-five day trip either to Agra or Rajasthan day after tomorrow, we shall also visit various areas. After that, I shall be coming back and concentrating on my business.”

AAP Jalandhar (Central) candidate Dr Sanjeev Sharma attended to his job checking patients today. “Due to the campaign, appointments had piled up and I couldn’t attend to patients. Some had been seeking a meeting for a month. While I caught up with workers and family in the morning, I met patients in the evening and shall be starting attending to my duties as a doctor as usual from tomorrow onwards. I love my work and plan to stay connected with it even if I win.”