Where every single vote counts in a multi-dimensional contest that Punjab is witnessing this time, the three top contenders in the race for the Chief Minister's chair — Congress’ Charanjit Singh Channi, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Bhagwant Mann, and Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) Sukhbir Singh — could not exercise their franchise in their favour. So are their families.
For, they all are registered as voters in the assembly segments other than the one these leaders are contesting.
Chief Minister Channi, who is the only leader to contest from two assembly segments — Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur, is registered as a voter in Kharar, and thus could not vote for himself in both the seats. His family members also cast their votes at Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Kharar.
AAP’s CM face, comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann — who contested from Dhuri in Sangrur district against Congress sitting MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy, cast his vote in Mohali. He is also a member of the Parliament from Sangrur since 2014.
In the same way, the Chief Ministerial candidate of the SAD-BSP alliance Sukhbir Badal cast his vote in Badal village, which falls under the Lambi assembly seat from where his father and five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is contesting his 13th election.
Sukhbir, who is contesting from his bastion Jalalabad in Ferozepur district, voted in Badal village along with the entire family — senior Badal, his wife, and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and their daughter Harkirat.
OTHER CANDIDATES WHO COULD NOT VOTE FOR THEMSELVES
In the hot seat of Amritsar East, which is set to witness a mother of all battles this time, three candidates fielded by the prominent parties — Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, SAD-BSP combine’s Bikram Singh Majithia, and BJP-led combine’s Dr Jagmohan Singh Raju — could not exercise their franchise in the constituency they are contesting, nor are their better-halves. Sidhu and his wife and former MLA Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu are registered as voters in Amritsar West, while Majithia and his wife Ganieve Kaur would cast their votes in Majitha. While Majithia has decided to contest from Amritsar East only, he has handed over the responsibility of his bastion, Majitha, to his wife this time. Majithia has been representing Majitha since 2007. Similar is the case of BJP’s candidate and former IAS Jagmohan Singh Raju, who is registered as voter in the electoral rolls in Patiala.
Congress nominee from Amritsar Central and Deputy Chief Minister OP Soni and his wife Suman Soni are registered as voters in Amritsar West, while family of Congress candidate from Amritsar South Inderbir Singh Bolaria cast their vote in Amritsar Central constituency. In Amritsar West, senior Congress leader and party’s prominent Hindu face Raj Kumar Verka and his wife Alka Verka voted in Amritsar North.
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who is contesting from Bathinda, is registered as a voter in Gidderbaha; while AAP’s former leader Rupinder Kaur Ruby, who is contesting from Malout as Congress candidate, is registered as a voter in Bathinda rural segment — from where she was elected MLA in 2017.