Haryana politicos unwind: Friends, family, faith & some fun before they face the big verdict

After a month of hectic campaigning and an equally jittery polling day, Haryana politicians took a breather on Sunday, unwinding and catching up with family, friends and party workers. With just another day to go before their electoral fate is clear, some even visited religious places to seek divine blessings.
Relaxation & reflection
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda spent quality time with family members and friends at his residence in Rohtak. He also met Congress workers and took their feedback. Later, he met rice millers and dealers’ association members who have been on dharna and urged them to start paddy procurement, assuring them that their issues would be resolved soon.
Family time
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo OP Chautala and Ellenabad MLA Abhay Singh Chautala spent the day at Teja Khera farmhouse. Abhay spent time with his grandson Udham Singh and inspected his fields too. He said that he is confident that the INLD will play kingmaker in these elections.
Seeking blessings
Sirsa MP Kumari Selja visited Rajasthan’s Salasar temple to pay obeisance while Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala prayed at Kedarnath. His 25-year-old son Aditya Surjewala, a third-generation politician, is fighting from Kaithal against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Leela Ram.
Strategic planning
Former education minister and Jhajjar MLA Geeta Bhukkal met Congress workers over tea and finalised counting agents. The agents were assigned duties outside a government college in Jhajjar, where electronic voting machines are kept. Looking back at the month gone by, she said, “My day used to start at 7.30 am and end around 2 am as I crisscrossed my constituency for campaigning. It was a hectic month of canvassing, but now, we are refreshed and ready to form the government. My election was fought by the public, and now it’s my duty to fulfill the promises made to them.”
Rajya Sabha MP Kiran Choudhry and daughter Shruti, BJP nominee from Tosham, spent time with party workers at their Bhiwani residence. They took feedback from party workers, hopeful of a victory against estranged cousin Anirudh Choudhry with whom she is tied in a neck-and-neck contest.
Tea & Rafi songs
BJP candidate from Ambala Cantonment seat and former home minister Anil Vij spent time with old friends at his “tea spot” in Sadar Bazaar chowk. Vij, a six-time MLA, is known to frequent the spot for his morning cuppa, but had been unable to do so over the last month due to his hectic schedule. Vij was also seen crooning Mohammed Rafi’s hit “Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya”.
Leisure and gratitude
Congress candidate from Bawani Khera, Pradeep Narwal, met his parents at Kathura village in Sonepat. Later, he spent the afternoon with Congress volunteers in Bhiwani and thanked voters for exercising their franchise. Narwal, who obtained an MA from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, hoped that the people of Bawani Khera chose an educated candidate.
Meanwhile, Ambala mayor and BJP’s Kalka nominee Shakti Rani Sharma met family associates while her MP son Kartikeya Sharma reached Ganesh Devi Durga Mata temple in Ganeshpur-Bhorian of Kalka to pay obeisance and have langar with the pilgrims.
Former media coordinator to ex-CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Jagmohan Anand, contesting as BJP nominee from Karnal, took an evening walk in Atal Park. “I was named candidate on September 4 and campaigned for a month. There is no tension as such, but I was able to rest on Sunday,” he said.
On the other hand, his opponent from the Congress, Sumita Singh met party workers at the election office.