E-Paper
Delhi hopefuls chill before poll heat
A day after campaign ended, Smriti Irani was back in Chandni Chowk. Not to woo voters, but to seek the blessings of Jain Muni Shri Vidyanand Maharaj at Lal Mandir.
A day after campaign ended, Smriti Irani was back in Chandni Chowk. Not to woo voters, but to seek the blessings of Jain Muni Shri Vidyanand Maharaj at Lal Mandir. She planned to end her day with her aunt but was unsure if she would be able to make it. "I want to take some time off with my relatives," she said.
For Ajay Maken, it was an opportunity to spend some time with his three children at his Rajouri Garden house. Maken, who's been operating out of his official Rouse Avenue residence, hadn't met them for over a week. "My two-year-old son Auwjasi couldn't recognise me since I have lost so much weight during the gruelling campaign," Maken said. He also decided to catch up on sleep in between meeting party workers for polling day arrangements.
Sandeep Dikshit woke up two hours later than the 6 a.m. schedule he had been sticking to during the campaign period. He also had a "relaxing" lunch with relatives and spent time with his kids. Like most other candidates, he met party workers, thanking them for their support during the campaign and requesting them to do their bit on polling day.
"I think I have lost some weight," said an exhausted looking Vijay Goel sipping his sugar-free tea. Campaign over, he had discarded his usual spotless white kurta pyjama for a blue shirt and white trousers. He used the day to give a pep talk to party workers in Roopnagar. But he did not call it a relaxing day. "My relatives and favourite films can wait till tomorrow night I guess," Goel said.
Said motivator-turned-politician Shiv Khera, "This can hardly be called a day to chill out, it's more of consolidation time and final planning," he said. He was busy meeting volunteers.
Sunday may have been a day of recuperating for most of Delhi’s hopefuls. But Monday is the day of reckoning and they need all the energy they can muster.
