Polling over, it’s time to chill

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20

A day after the polling for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat following hectic campaigning for the past few weeks, candidates today finally relaxed at their homes. While some caught up on sleep, others were seen discussing the poll and the response with party members.

For city MP and BJP candidate Kirron Kher, the day was about catching up on sleep and taking rest. She did not move out of her Sector 7 residence and sat back. “I did not even meet people, answered a few calls only. I have been very tired,” she said.

Congress candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal, however, got time to spend with his grandchildren. “For the past one month, I could not meet my grandchildren and I did not even see their faces. Today, I spent time with them. They were playing carrom, so I sat beside them,” he shared.

He earlier met party workers at his Sector 28 residence. “They talked about the voting percentage and the kind of response we got from the people. Mostly, the day was about sitting back and relaxing at home,” he added.

AAP candidate Harmohan Dhawan attended some meetings with party workers during the day and went to sleep in the afternoon.

“In the morning, I got to sit with my family and spent quiet time with them after a long time. For the past few days, the family members and I had been campaigning. I later had workers coming over to my place in Sector 9 and we had a meeting about the outcome of yesterday’s polling. Thereafter, I slept in the afternoon.”

After weeks of intense electioneering involving party worker meetings, door-to-door campaign, public addresses, press meetings, allegations, counter-allegations and hyper social media activity, the campaigning had concluded on May 17.

However, the candidates remained on their toes even on May 18, a day before the polling, and on May 19, the day of voting. Today, they heaved a sigh of relief.

I did not even meet people, answered a few calls only. I have been very tired.  — Kirron Kher, BJP

I spent time with my grandchildren. They were playing carrom, I sat beside them. — Pawan Kumar Bansal, Cong

I met workers, slept in the afternoon and spent the remaining part of the day relaxing. — Harmohan Dhawan, AAP