Post-poll Conduct

What did contestants do while awaiting judgement?

By Prabeer Sikdar

DEHRADUN, 14 May 2009: Although the Lalu Prasad Yadav brand of political humour is missing among politicians in this part of the country, post the last phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand, here is what some of the LS contestants told Garhwal Post about their day after the big day.

If it was a day of cricket for shooter turned BJP politician Jaspal Rana, who contested from Tehri LS seat, his rival and ex-BJP turned BSP politician, Munna Singh Chauhan found time out to meet his 7-year-old son, which was overdue for over a month.

“Due to the hectic poll campaign, I could not give sufficient time to my son,” Munna Chauhan told Garhwal Post, adding that post election, he was enjoying these precious moments.

According to Chauhan, during poll time, his son had to stay at his maternal grandparent’s house in Dalanwala.

Unlike his business as usual days, Munna spent most of the day meeting only relatives and friends at his Sahaspur home.

So, what was his observation on the big day? “Although BSP managed to give a close fight to the Congress, it seems the latter’s rumour-mongering cut into Muslim votes,” he told Garhwal Post, pointing out that two days prior to the poll, Muslim votes stood at a fifty-fifty ratio vis-à-vis Congress and BSP.

“However, post the rumours, on the final day, 25% of Muslim votes shifted to the Congress kitty,” he observed, terming it a big loss for him. According to him, though the capital witnessed a better polling average, the polling average in the entire state was poor.

“And what if…?” “Whatever be the results, Munna is here to stay in politics.”

As for shooting star Jaspal Rana, instead of his usual wake-up time at 5 a.m., BJP’s poster boy lazed in bed till 7:30 a.m. “After having breakfast at 9 a.m., he held deliberations with party workers about the possible outcome of the poll, including the permutations and combinations for 1-2 hours,” said Bharat Bhushan, a close confidante of Rana.

The shooter, later, is said to have shared time to interact with his children – Devanshi and Yuvraj – with whom, he could not spend time for 2-3 months in a proper manner.

Interestingly, in the afternoon, Rana went on to attend the engagement ceremony of BJP leader Rajender Tomar’s daughter in Ballupur. “The engagement date was planned well in advance,” added Bhushan, pointing out that in the evening, Rana tested his cricketing skill at a friendly game at Mudhone.

Later, the star politician paid a visit to the Kali temple to seek the Goddess’ blessing (for a positive outcome in the poll!).

Lawyer turned judge turned lawmaker Vijay Bahuguna, sitting Congress MP from Tehri, is keeping his fingers crossed for the 16 May verdict, which he termed as ‘Judgment Day’. “The mystery is akin to the time, when as a lawyer, I argued a case and waited for the judgment,” explained Bahuguna, who spent his entire day relaxing.

When asked about the possible outcome of the poll, he matter-of-factly said, “I am hopeful but the mystery of the ballot box (he means EVM) cannot be predicted. I am just waiting for results.”

For Army man turned politician TPS Rawat, BJP’s Pauri LS contestant, it was time for a long overdue haircut. “I went to the market today and got myself a much needed haircut,” Rawat told Garhwal Post.

Since morning, Rawat attended all phone calls by himself and also found some time to go through his snail mails (letters). “I got so many letters, but during the hectic poll schedule I could not get time to read them,” he said.

Interestingly, Rawat also found time to manage his domestic front, which had threatened to go out of control due to poll compulsions. “There is a problem with the water pipes and electricity lines in my home. So, I called both the plumber and the electrician,” he disclosed, pointing out that, later, he also shared some memorable time with his 6-yr-old granddaughter Anushka.

And did u sleep? “Yes, a good one-and-a-half hours, that too after 6 months!”

For BJP Minister and Almora LS contestant Ajay Tamta, surprisingly, 14 May, was business as usual. “There is no change in my daily life. After doing Pranayam at 5:30 a.m., I got back into my routine mode,” said the minister, while exuding confidence about his win.

“There is no anxiety. People have been watching me for the last 18 years and voting for me. So far, they have given a mandate in my favour in Local Body elections and the Assembly elections but, now, they will vote me to Parliament,” said Tamta, adding that he went to his office at his normal time.

Tamta, later went to meet his injured sister, who met with an accident during the poll campaign and is now being treated in Haldwani Hospital.

(Efforts to contact other LS contestants proved futile as even after repeated attempts most of their mobile phones were found switched off. Anyway, Garhwal Post respects their new found, but short-lived privacy till 16 May).

http://www.garhwalpost.com/index.php?mod=article&cat=Dehradun&article=991