Garhshankar, October 13
Barring stray incidents of violence, polling in Kapurthala and Garhshankar mostly remained peaceful as more than 65 per cent of the 2.4 lakh voters sealed the fate of 22 contestants in electronic voting machines today.
Counting of votes is scheduled for October 16. There are 11 candidates each in the fray from Garhshankar and Kapurthala.
While the main contest was between Ms Sukhjinder Kaur Rana (Congress) and Mr Raghbir Singh (Shiromani Akali Dal) in Kapurthala, the fight for electoral supremacy in Garhshankar was amongst Mr Luv Kumar Goldi (Congress), Mr Mohinder Pal Mann (Bharatiya Janata Party), Mr Mahan Singh Rorri (CPM) and Mr Shinghara Ram Sahungra (Independent).
Interestingly, both the ruling Congress and the SAD-BJP alliance, not only expressed satisfaction at the peaceful conduct of poll, but also made claims of victory in their post-poll statements.
While the Election Commission ordered a repoll in two booth in Garhshankar, it was waiting for the report from the returning officer in Kapurthala, where Congress and SAD workers reportedly clashed outside a couple of polling booths.
In Garhshankar, women voters outnumbered men at most of the polling stations where long queues started appearing soon after polling began. After a lull during noon, polling picked pace again. There were queues even after polling ended.
Unconfirmed reports put the poll percentage at 71 in Kapurthala and 65 in Garhshankar.
A Tribune team undertook an extensive tour of the Garhshankar constituency, where at a couple of places, the polling staff was not happy with the board and lodging arrangements made for them
Except a couple of places where electronic voting machines initially did not function properly, polling remained peaceful. The atmosphere at most polling stations was relaxed.
There were unconfirmed reports of large-scale supply of liquor. At one booth, one BJP worker complained to a senior party leader that supply of liquor was short than the requirement.
There were “langars” of tea and snacks everywhere. A large number of youngsters, including students, manned booths of major contestants.
A large number of Congress and SAD-BJP workers and leaders too were on duty, manning polling stations, organising reinforcements and briefing senior
leaders.
