Punjab Diary: All for a cause

Fazilka: With an aim to boost voter turnout, the Fazilka administration has decided to paste stickers saying “Exercise your franchise on June 1” on LPG cylinders. Deputy Commissioner Senu Duggal said these stickers would remind the residents, especially women voters, to participate in the festival of democracy.

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Astrologer has candidate in a fix

Batala: The fact that candidates are being guided by astrologers is no big deal. It happens in every election. What takes the cake is the case of a nominee who is at his wit’s end after a soothsayer told him that the best time for him to file his nomination papers is after May 19. Now, the problem is that the nomination process ends on May 15. This has put the candidate in a dilemma. Neither can he ask the Election Commission to extend the deadline, nor can he annoy his astrologer! The latest information emanating from his camp is that he has decided to ‘retire’ his old astrologer with full monetary benefits and perks and take a new one on board!

Exemption on false health grounds

Muktsar: To ensure that not even a single government official is exempted from poll duty on made-up ‘health grounds’, Muktsar Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer Harpreet Singh Sudan recently sent a list of nearly 100 persons to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), seeking medical opinion on whether they needed exemption from election duty. The health authorities have now submitted their report along with their remarks. Let us see what action is initiated against those who were seeking exemption on false grounds.

Cheema’s magical spell

Gurdaspur: Four top SAD politicians of this constituency were at daggers drawn with each other for the past several years. After Daljit Singh Cheema arrived in the constituency to commence his campaign, the first thing he did was to convene a joint meeting of these leaders. Once the meeting was over, things changed dramatically. The four politicians buried their differences and are wholeheartedly supporting the party candidate. Opposition leaders say Cheema has either given a magic potion to his warring colleagues, or cast a magical spell on them. “Whatever it was, it is working perfectly,” said a Congress MLA.

Education matters

Muktsar: Though there is no minimum educational qualification required to contest elections, none of the four major political parties — AAP, Congress, SAD and BJP — have picked up a graduate as candidate for the Ferozepur Lok Sabha constituency. SAD nominee Nardev Singh Bobby Mann is an undergraduate, Congress’ Sher Singh Ghubaya is a matriculate, as is BJP’s Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, while AAP candidate Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar is an under-matric. A retired lecturer said, “Though an illiterate can also contest the election, a degree-holder makes a better impression.”

A means to an end

Amritsar: AAP nominee Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal did not shy away from frying a “samosa” at a sweets shop. Incumbent Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, who is seeking another term, went to a “akhara” and grappled with youngsters. BJP nominee Taranjit Singh Sandhu did not lose any opportunity to take a stroll along with morning walkers and initiate a chat with locals over a cup of tea at a shop. Clearly, aiming to gain power, the candidates are ever-willing to go the extra mile.