MLA Sandeep Jakhar keeps family tradition alive, joins queue to cast vote at Panjkosi village

In Panjkosi village, situated 16 kilometres from here, members of the politically high-profile Jakhar family have cast their votes in the panchayat elections for years. Today, MLA Sandeep Jakhar walked out of his house at 8 am, stood in a queue at the polling station, and cast his vote at 8.15 am.

The family has a history of contesting in the gram panchayat elections. Bal Ram Jakhar and, after him, his sons Sajjan Kumar Jakhar and Surinder Kumar Jakhar have served as sarpanches of the village. When Sajjan was the sarpanch, in 1973, the state government had declared Panjkosi the ‘Best Panchayat’ of the state and granted it an award of Rs 1 lakh.

After Sajjan was elected MLA in 1980, his younger brother Surinder was elected sarpanch and he set a record of providing modern facilities to the village.

Residents recall that even though the family’s tradition of contesting the sarpanch election stopped after that, the heads of the family, including Sunil Jakhar have kept the alive the tradition of reaching the polling booth, queuing outside it and exercising their franchise in the first half-an-hour of the polling.

All the contestants for the post of sarpanch were present around MLA Sandeep Jakhar as he visited the booth today. The MLA said during the panchayat elections in Fazilka district complaints of unfortunate violence and excesses had emerged only in Jalalabad. He said all leaders must sincerely try to avoid such ugly situations. He said panchayats were the base of democracy and its sanctity must not be defiled. After the results are declared, winners must rise above political diversities and work as a team to avoid confrontation and carry out development works in the village, said the MLA.

Former MP and three-time MLA Sunil Jakhar could not reach Panjkosi to cast his vote due to some engagement at New Delhi.