After the battle, a break: Punjab politicians unwind after polls

As they wait for the result of the assembly polls, the leaders of all parties are taking it easy

Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh flashes victory sign with youngsters at a polling station during voting for Punjag Assembly polls in Patiala. Photo: PTI

Amit Agnihotri New Delhi

Last Updated : Feb 21 2017 | 12:15 PM IST

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Post a tough electoral battle in Punjab, which saw hectic campaigning by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine, Congress and the disruptor Aam Aadmi Party, politicians of various hues are taking the over-a-month-long wait for the results in their stride.

Polling for all the 117 assembly seats in the state was held on February 4. Results will be out on March 11.

Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh, who tried hard to wrest power from the Akali-BJP combine, is nursing his hurt ankle in Chandigarh. Singh’s ankle was twisted during the hectic campaigning and he has been advised rest by the doctors. But Amarinder, a former Army captain, is using this time to give finishing touches to his book on military history, scheduled to release by the month end.

Before that, the Congress veteran is all set for the release of his biography -- The People’s Maharaja -- written by local journalist Khushwant Singh on Tuesday. He is also looking forward to his grandson Nirvan getting married in first week of March.

Amarinder went beyond his family bastion Patiala and contested from a second seat Lambi, the strong hold of ruling Badals, to be seen as the only challenger to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The election was a tough game for the Badal senior, 90, who was exhausted by the campaign and flew to the US soon after the polling for a complete health checkup. He is back and doing fine.

Son Sukhbir Singh Badal, also the Deputy Chief Minister and daughter in law Harsimrat Kaur, Union Minister, who had gone to the US to see Badal senior, will return this week.

While former chief minister Amarinder is looking forward to a comeback, the Badals are hoping against hope to get a third successive term in power. Both AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and party’s Lok Sabha member Bhagwant Mann, who was the face of the campaign, are detoxifying at a naturopathy centre in Bengaluru. During the campaign, while cricketer turned TV personality Navjot Singh Sidhu, who left the BJP, was the popular face for the Congress, AAP's Bhawant Mann and fellow stand-up comedian Gurpreet Singh Ghuggee, were the star campaigners for the new party.

While pollsters are divided how much the AAP could dent the Congress vote bank, Amarinder has already made it clear that this is his last election. Interestingly, on March 11, the day results will be out, Singh will turn 70. His supporters are anxious to see if the veteran gets the perfect birthday gift from the voters or not.