Apart from holding dozens of public meetings daily in different assembly segments, Ghaziabad candidates are also trying their hand at preparing chapatis on chulha (earthen stove) and playing badminton in public park to connect with voters.
With temperatures rising each day and the district scheduled to go to polls on April 26, the candidates are sweating it out, both literally and figuratively, to canvas votes. According to their aides, candidates of main parties are covering about 100-150km each day to reach voters across the Ghaziabad parliamentary constituency.
Ghaziabad this time is seeing a triangular fight between Congress’s Dolly Sharma, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Atul Garg, and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)’s Thakur Nandkishor Pudhir.
“In Bhoopkhedi village in Loni, I came across a woman preparing chapatis on a chulha for her family. I went to her and started trying my hands at making chapathis. I prepared a couple of chapatis and her family also liked them. The hectic campaigning day starts as early as 6am when planning for the entire day is reviewed. We hold meetings in different assembly segments where people call us to,” said Sharma.
She said she generally covers about 150km in her vehicle and her daily campaigning ends late night.
“There is hardly any time left to sleep. I have gone tanned and also lost some weight. I am not keeping a fast this navratri due to hectic travelling and public meetings,” Sharma said.
Garg said he has held public meetings in 40 of 135 identified villages.
“I am also trying to meeting morning walkers in parks. It was at Ram Manohar Lohiya Park in Rajendra Nagar that I came across some people playing badminton. I, too, swung the racket a few times and it was a memorable experience. I am fond of playing badminton, table tennis and also swimming,” Garg said.
“It is difficult to cover all areas but I am trying to get in touch with as many people as possible. My election campaign has picked up after Prime Minister Modi’s roadshow last week. I generally take along home cooked food and try to return by 10-11pm,” he said.
The election campaigning will end 48 hours before the scheduled day of polls.
BSP’s Pundhir could not be reached for his comment on his campaigning schedule.
The Ghaziabad parliamentary seat has 14 contesting candidates this time. During the nomination stage, 42 nominations were filed and 22 of these were rejected during the scrutiny stage.Finally, 20 nominations of 14 candidates were cleared for the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat, district election officials said.
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