By IANS,
New Delhi : On Friday they let their hair down. After weeks of campaigning in the scorching heat and dust, Lok Sabha candidates from Delhi finally got time to cool off with their favourite things – playing the tabla, a game of cricket or simply chatting with friends and family.
With Thursday’s polls here having sealed their fate and a week to go before it all becomes known on counting day May 16, some candidates just chose to catch up with the newspapers and that precious thing called sleep!
Ajay Maken, the Congress candidate from New Delhi, for instance spent the day playing cricket with his family and friends and catching up with them. He also plans to travel out of the city over the weekend.
“After the hectic campaigning, I am taking a break and going out of Delhi for three days with my family,” Maken told IANS.
Similarly, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from New Delhi Vijay Goel spent his day doing what he enjoys – playing the tabla. “He likes playing the piano and the tabla and is very good at it. After a long time today he got the time to practice the tabla and unwind,” a close aide of Goel’s said.
Union minister Kapil Sibal, who is seeking re-election from the Chandni Chowk constituency, said: “I have been just relaxing at home. I am reading newspapers and magazines and just spending time with my family.”
On being asked if he had any plans to go out with his family, the Congress leader told IANS: “I have no plans as of now. Let’s see.”
Their aides also took time off.
Sibal’s aide Salim Inamdar said: “I am on holiday today and have no idea of what is happening around!”
Congress candidate from Northwest Krishna Tirath also said that she planned to just relax at home.
BJP candidate from East Delhi Chetan Chauhan said: “I don’t have any plans for today. My brother passed away recently, therefore we will be busy with some function at home today.”
However, it was business as usual for some.
BJP candidate of the Chandni Chowk constituency Vijender Gupta had a meeting with party workers lined up for Friday afternoon.
“He (Gupta) slept early last night – at around 10 p.m. Today, he is taking it easy, relaxing at home and catching up with his family. In the afternoon, however, he has a meeting with his party workers,” a close aide said.
Like him, J.P. Aggarwal, Congress candidate from Northeast Delhi, was ready for more work.
“I will go to the party office and meet party workers. There is no chutti (holiday) for politicians since politics is public service and there is never any break from that.”
Urmila Mishra, wife of Mahabal Mishra, the Congress candidate from West Delhi, added: “He never gets to rest…even today he woke up as usual at 6.30 a.m. and offered his prayers. After that he has been meeting party workers, fans and people who have come to give their good wishes.”
Delhi has seven parliamentary constituencies that went to polls Thursday and saw a voter turnout of 53 percent.