Poll Vault: Surprise, Modi style

Sonepat: When it comes to surprising old party workers, nobody can match Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As senior BJP leader and former media adviser to CM Rajiv Jain greeted the Prime Minister at the helipad of the venue of the rally at Gohana on Wednesday, Modi, apparently breaking protocol, caressed Jain’s head before patting him on the back. The Jains — Rajiv and his ex-minister wife Kavita Jain — who were denied the party ticket from Sonepat, were recently mollified by caretaker CM Nayab Singh Saini after they threatened to walk away from party.

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Anything for votes!

Palwal: Some candidates can go to any extent to get votes. Harinder Singh, the BJP candidate from Hodal segment, has come out with an amusing campaigning style as he is often prostrating (dandavat pranam) especially before elderly voters. The unusual out-of-the-box campaigning style of Harinder, who is locked in a tough contest with HPCC chief Udai Bhan, has both surprised and amused his voters.

‘Ek anar, sau bimar’

Hisar: With three BJP rebels in fray from the Hisar Assembly segments besides the official candidate Kamal Gupta, there is a speculation that they (Independents) are also flaunting their “BJP connections” to get votes. Union Minister and former CM Manohar Lal Khattar, however, was quick to term this practice as unethical. Notably, BJP MP Naveen Jindal’s mother Savitri Jindal, former BJP Mayor Gautam Sardana and former district vice-president Tarun Jain are in fray as Independents, creating a confusion of sorts for the electorate.

(Contributed by Pradeep Sharma, Bijendra Ahlawat & Deepender Deswal)