Post poll din, candidates unwind

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 18

As the campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections ended on Friday evening, candidates heaved a sigh of relief. They met party workers and relaxed today. As per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI), after the end of hectic campaigning, candidates or party workers, accompanied by a maximum of five supporters, can carry out door-to-door campaigning.

Congress candidate Amarinder Singh Raja Warring went around the constituency and met party workers to boost their morale. He along with his wife Amrita Warring also paid obeisance at the Quila Mubarak Gurdwara. Warring also held a meeting with the booth-level party workers.

The main election office of Raja Warring remained a centre of activity as party workers flitted in and out. Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Sukhpal Singh Khaira visited Mansa to meet some of his workers.

Apart from this, leaders of all the parties and candidate remained busy in assigning booth duties to the workers. Voters slips were also distributed at the doorsteps of the eligible voters.

Rumours were rife regarding the distribution of liquor and money by the candidates a day before the polls. Moreover, complaints of the distribution of liquor and money by the candidates also poured in from rural areas and complaints lodged with the police.

Bathinda SSP Dr Nanak Singh said, “We have received a few complaints in this regard, but on checking at the ground level, the SHOs did not find these complaints to be true”.

It is pertinent to mention here that voters will not be allowed to carry their mobile phones within a 100 meter radius of polling stations on the day of voting on May 19. Based on the directives from the Election Commission (EC), officials have advised people not to carry their mobile phones while coming to vote.

A day before

• Leaders and candidates of all parties remained busy in assigning booth duties to the workers 
• Voter slips were also distributed at the doorsteps of the eligible voters
• Bathinda SSP Dr Nanak Singh said they had received a few complaints in regard to distribution of liquor and money, but on checking at the ground level, the SHOs did not find these complaints to be true