Defying age, disability

Nitin Jain
Tribune News Service
Ambala, October 21

Power belongs to the people in democracy. This came to limelight when octogenarian Giano Devi, despite poor health, came forward to cast her vote in Ambala City here today.

Wheelchair-bound Devi (84), who arrived at booth number 28 with the support of a Red Cross volunteer, said, “Every year, I cast my vote. It’s our right and we should exercise it,” she said in a dim voice.

Gobind Singh (80) and his wife Kamla Devi (75), who came with their son, cast their vote at the same polling booth.

RD Dahiya (75) was also ferried by Red Cross volunteers as he was unable to walk due to a fracture in his left foot.

Talking to The Tribune, Dahiya said, “Every vote counts. I know the party that wins majority forms the government, but I have the power to support the candidate whom I like.”

Women, newlyweds queue up to exercise franchise

Newlywed Ruchi and Naveen also came to vote in Ambala Cantonment. “We are exercising our franchise for the first time and we are feeling good and happy about it. Our vote will strengthen the democracy,” they said.

Reeling under fever for the past one week, Sube Singh (85) who reached booth number 75 holding his relative’s arm, said, “I was not able to walk, but I knew I have to cast my vote for a change. So, I asked my nearby relative to take me to the booth.”

Coming out of the polling booth, first-time voters Rishab (21), Parwinder (20) and Karan (19) said, “We are aware of the fact that to vote for a candidate you like matters a lot. Voting has power because of this fact, we voted.”

A visit to different parts of the district, spread across four Assembly segments – Ambala Cantonment, Ambala City, Mullana and Naraingarh — revealed that from elderly to youngsters, from women to the first-timers and newly weds, people queued up outside polling centres to elect their new MLAs.

In Ambala Cantonment, Rajbir Singh cast his vote before solemnising his marriage.

Some of the voters whose birthdays and marriage anniversaries fall on October 21 made their day memorable by clicking selfies after casting vote.

Of the total 36 candidates in the fray, three are first-timer women. BJP heavyweight Health Minister Anil Vij, MLA Aseem Goel, former Minister Nirmal Singh and former MLAs Rajbir Singh and Jasbir Singh are among the prominent faces whose fate was locked in the EVMs.