A day after Amritsar electorates decided the fate of the two rivals — SAD-BJP’s Arun Jaitley and Congress’ Capt Amarinder, the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha attacked the former Chief Minister for failing in his “primary duty as a citizen” by not casting his vote on April 30 polling in Punjab.
Attacking his Congress rival without naming him, Jaitley in his Thursday’s campaign dairy title — The Duty to Vote — described how, despite busy schedule all through his day, he remained present in his constituency, and ensured that he exercise his franchise.
Capt Amarinder, who has been contesting against Jaitley from Amritsar, has been enrolled as voter in Patiala constituency from where his wife and three-time MP Preneet Kaur was contesting the election.
The senior Congress leader preferred to stick to his constituency, and not leaving it to cast his vote in Patiala. As Capt Amarinder did not vote and remained busy in Amritsar, his younger brother Malwinder Singh too did not cast his vote and remained in Amritsar with him.
It was for the first time in the recallable past that Capt Amarinder, who is an MlA from Patiala Assembly constituency, did not vote for Preneet.
Jaitley, starting his blog by mentioning that “even one vote can make a difference”, said that every eligible voter has a right to vote, and a duty to cast a vote.
“I was faced with a heavy odd having been Member of the Rajya Sabha Gujarat for three times in a row. Since my vote is enrolled in Gandhinagar Parliamentary Constituency. Do I leave my own constituency in Amritsar to cast my vote or do I skip my voteIJ” he stated.
“I started my day very early with a visit to the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Mandir. I travelled to each of the nine Assembly segments. By the time almost 50 per cent of the votes had been cast, my wife and I flew in to Gandhinagar to cast the vote. I was back in Amritsar by the evening. It was tiresome but satisfying,” wrote Jaitley.
In an apparent attack on Capt Amarinder, he concluded, “Those who missed the vote failed in their primary duty as a citizen.”