Villagers gift runner-up Rs 1 crore, Bolero

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, January 29

Losing the panchayat elections has proved a blessing in disguise for Baljit Singh of Balsamand village in the district. The villagers felt so strongly for him after his second consecutive defeat that they collected Rs1 crore to give him and also gave him a Bolero jeep.

The villagers handed over the cash and the vehicle to him at a function organised in the village today. The villagers said they sympathised with him on his defeat. “He is a good man who has been always eager to help out any people in distress. So by this gesture, we want to send him a massage that we recognise his services,” said Bhagirath Numbardar.

Numbardar said they had also anointed Baljit as ‘social sarpanch’ even though Manju Rani had been elected the sarpanch. Manju had defeated Baljit by 433 votes in the panchayat elections.

Dalbir Singh, a retired headmaster, said they accepted the electoral verdict. “But his defeat cannot lower his social standing. We have recognised his contributions to society and hope that he would continue with his helping attitude,” he said.

Baljit Singh said, “I am humbled by the gesture of my brethren in the village. I have no regret about the verdict of the villagers in the panchayat poll and would continue to work for the welfare of the villagers.”

Manju Devi, however, said she was not aware of the decision of the villagers to honour the runner-up in the poll. “May be, they are some of his supporters who have pooled money and donated to him. I have been elected the sarpanch and would perform my duties,” she said.