Indelibly inked

9.50 am: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal,Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and Bhatinda MP Harsimrat Badal arrive together.

10.30 am: Gurdas Badal enters the polling booth and with the help of the attendant exercises his franchise.

There never was a dull moment at the booth No106 – the most sought after location where the members of Punjab’s most influential political family,and their estranged kin,exercised their franchise.

The VVIP movement was set in motion by the chief of People’s Party of Punjab,Manpreet Singh Badal,who was one of the first persons to arrive to cast vote in Badal village. He was soon followed by the CM,his son and daughter-in-law,Harsimrat Kaur,who arrived together to cast their

vote and created a small flutter.

“We saw them together in the village after 5 years,” said a village woman.

Later,the family members of the Badals,including the respective wives of Maheshinder,Gurdas and Manpreet also came to caste their votes.

Manpreet was his usual confident self,and didn’t fail to take a dig at the CM. “I am feeling sad that my taaya ji (Parkash Singh Badal) will be losing the elections and will end his political career in a disgraceful manner,” the PPP chief said.

However,the CM,brushed aside his nephew’s remarks. “If Manpreet was so concerned,he should not have left the mother party. In fact,I am feeling excited. It is the same excitement,which I had felt when I contested my first elections. I am feeling the same after so many years,” he said.

Even his son,the SAD president and deputy CM,Sukhbir Badal,exuded confidence. “I am feeling the most confident ever in my political career. I am sure we are going to form the government and show the Opposition that development poll plank works.”

However,there was another Badal,who while being excited about the elections,was feeling sad too. Manpreet’s father and CM’s estranged brother and opponent from the seat,Gurdas Badal,took on Parkash Badal saiing it was “Putra moh (love for son) that made his contest the elections. “I am sure Badal sahib will come and congratulate me after results are declared on March 6.

We used to be like Ram-Lakshman,but something else was written in our destiny.”

He said that his workers were being threatened by SAD supporters. “But I am not afraid of such threats. The voters have made their mind to bring in a change,” he added.

Meanwhile,yet another Badal,Congress’ Maheshinder,alleged that fake votes were cast at many polling booths.

The booth No 106 recorded 75.66 per cent polling,even as some 15 villages in the Lambi constituency witnessed more than 90 per cent voter turnout,returning officer Sandeep Rishi said. Koyalawali recorded 95 per cent polling while Kandhukhera saw 92 per cent turnout. Malaut-Aulakh village saw 93 per cent polling.