Private Practise

So,what is it that our politicians do to unwind and relax,at the end of a day packed with events,gatherings and appearances? We asked some politicians in the fray for the Pune parliamentary constituency and this is what they had to say:

Suresh Kalmadi,Congress
Music and Books
My day ends at 3 am each night and I have to be up by 6 am,so there’s no question of doing anything special at the ‘end’ of the day. But yes,I make it a point to exercise first thing in the morning,either on the treadmill or in the neighbourhood park. Also,on some rare days,I try listening to music,but only if my wife is not too tired and also in the mood for some music. Though I’d love to read some books,right now,my one-point programme is the elections and so,all my energy is concentrated towards that.”

Anil Shirole (Bharatiya Janata Party)
Trekking and long drives
Trekking is a passion for me and so is working out. but during elections,I get hardly any time for that. So I try to relax and unwind by driving,which is again a favorite pastime. Also listening to music while driving out of town is another nice way to relax,says Anil Shirole,BJP candidate.

D S Kulkarni (Bahujan Samaj Party)
Swimming and Yoga
The first thing on my agenda after each day draws to a close is to get some relaxing sleep,but I’ve to make do with a maximum of four hours of sleep these days. Swimming is a passion for me. So,every morning begins with a few laps in the swimming pool,then around 10-15 minutes of yoga and finally prayers to the Almighty,thanking him for everything that’s been bestowed on me. And yes,reading is a passion. So,I read local dailies and magazines whenever I find time,even if it’s while having a meal or in the car,on my way to an election rally or a social gathering.

Ranjit Shirole (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena)
Movies and music
You ask me what do I do at ‘the end of the day’ but the truth is that I don’t know when the day comes to an end. Somehow,I find some time to be around my five-month-old twin girls,who are the love of my life and a constant source of joy. First thing in the morning,I meditate for about 35-40 minutes and it gives me a lot of mental peace. Also,I’m into mild exercise,most stretching and back extension to combat long hours sitting in meetings or traveling. I love watching movies and I’ve waiting to catch up with Me Shivaji Rao Bhonsle Boltoye but there’s hardly anytime left now for the election day. So,I’ll watch it later on but in the meantime,I keep listening to music on the FM and that relaxes me a lot.

Arun Bhatia (People’s Guardian Party)
Books and music
Being around friends and family,is for me,the greatest stressbuster. I hang out with close friends and people who are pleasant to be with. My main aim is to have good,positive people around,because it gives me a lot of strength. The election business has got its ups and downs but having a solid support system makes it all feel worthwhile. Although I love to read,it’s all heavy stuff – about politics,governance and developmental economics. Yes,music is a favourite pastime and I love listening to folk,country and Western numbers.