By Jaideep Sarin, IANS,
Chandigarh : Dressed in full wedding finery, a groom in Punjab’s Patiala town went the extra mile — literally — to exercise his franchise Monday.
The groom took a detour and stopped by at the polling station while going for his marriage ceremony to cast his vote. Dressed in an off-white sherwani and full wedding gear, he was accompanied by other members of his baraat, the wedding procession. Security personnel and election officials were amused and impressed both to see the determination of this die-hard voter.
“We get the chance to choose our legislators only after five years. We should not let it go waste,” the groom said.
Now here’s one instance of a man committed to democracy even before he makes that commitment of a lifetime.
*-*
Right to reject
The groom who would be voter first was not the only interesting facet of Punjab’s one-day election to 117 assembly seats.
Eighty people in the Garhshankar assembly seat in Hoshiarpur district got together and filled the required form to exercise their right to reject all the candidates in the fray from their seat. The group arrived at their polling station and exercised their right together.
*-*
Vintage charm
People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) president and former finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal is known for his unique style. While uncle, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and cousin, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, came in luxury SUVs with full security paraphernalia, Manpreet chose to drive himself to the polling station in Badal village in an open vintage American Jeep.
“It is chilly today and I thought of bringing this vintage American Jeep to warm it up on election day,” Manpreet said.
*-*
Draw of lots
In Badal village, the predicament for voters was to make a choice between three Badals in the fray from the Lambi assembly seat. These three were Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his younger brother and PPP candidate Gurdas Badal and Congress candidate Maheshinder Singh Badal. Since some families of the village could not divide their choice among the Badals, they chose to take out lottery chits to make their choice on whom to vote for.
*-*
High spirits
Even on polling day, Punjab’s ‘spirits’ seemed high. Sangrur police seized a truck carrying nearly 1,000 cases of an Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand from near Chhajli village in the district Monday. The liquor was meant for last minute voters.