Prayers, cinema and meetings with electorate marks day for candidates

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 5

After a month-long election campaign which witnessed hectic activity in the district, it was finally time for rest, prayers and enjoyment for various candidates of the region.

While most candidates held meetings, attended weddings and bhog ceremonies, some had a stroll and a quaint dinner with their families.

AAP’s Shahkot candidate celebrated his wife’s birthday watching the film “Raees” with his family today, while Bholath SAD candidate was off to Golden Temple to pay his obeisance after the polls ended. The AAP candidate from the same constituency Sukhpal Khaira attended three weddings and a shagun ceremony in Kapurthala and Bholath.

AAP Jalandhar Cantt HS Walia went out for a casual stroll with his family at Jalandhar’s Nikku Park while planning a holiday to Rajasthan or Agra in the coming days.

While the SAD’s Bholath candidate Yuvraj Bhupinder Singh was off to a visit to Golden Temple with his parents and wife, his mother-in-law senior SAD leader Bibi Jagir Kaur attended to the constituency in his absence.

Bibi Jagir Kaur said, “Yuvraj had started for Golden Temple after a meeting with supporters at noon and in his absence, I have been conducting meetings. I also attended two weddings.”

Speaking on the hectic election schedule, she said, “Asi lagge hi rende haan, jiven Badal Sahib vi lagge rehnde hai (we are always working like the CM is always working). All days are same to us. We have worked for five years, elections don’t tire us, nor is it extra work for us. While Badal sahib also looks after the entire state and handles elections side by side, it is work as usual for us. Meeting supporters and volunteers is imperative every day. The support and response from supporters has been overwhelming.”

Bholath AAP candidate Sukhpal Khaira said, “I attended three weddings and a shagun ceremony and have been visiting friends and supporters as well. In the morning, I held a meeting with supporters as well. The coming month shall also be spent attending to work and other routine social obligations. We have had a brilliant response here, and there has been an unending stream of visitors to my house as well. I am confident of a win.”

While the AAP Shahkot candidate Dr Amarjit Thind had a day out with his family celebrating his wife’s virthday, his two sons, who had been missing him for the past many weeks, finally had a field day. “Elections ended and it’s my wife’s birthday so we had a relaxing day out. We saw a film and shall be heading to a family dinner in the night. In the subsequent days, it’s going to be work as usual.”

Claiming he saw an overwhelming response in his constituency, Dr Thind said, “People have given us whole-hearted support and female voters turned out in huge numbers which we hope shall work in our favour.”

SAD Shahkot candidate Ajit Singh Kohar who met his sangat at Kohar Khurd village, said, “For me, it remained the same day as any. I have seen five elections, this is the sixth. For me, it’s all the same. I woke up at 3 am and had my breakfast at 5.30 am. By 6, I was already with my people, talking to them as hordes came in to offer congratulations. We have done well. I’m confident of a win.”

While Kohar also met villagers and attended a few weddings and visited an acquaintance for a condolence meeting, he said he would follow the routine for the coming month.