LOCKED in a fierce battle of ballot against BJPs Arun Jaitley in Amritsar, Congress’ Captain Amarinder Singh did not leave his constituency even on Wednesday — the day Punjab went to polls — and preferred not to vote for his wife, Preneet Kaur, who is contesting from Patiala. Amarinder, who is an MLA from Patiala Urban Assembly segment, is a registered voter there. Sources close to Preneet Kaur said this was for the first time that Amarinder had not voted for Preneet — a three-time MP from Patiala. Amarinder, instead, went around and mingled with voters of Amritsar. “He was advised by his people not to leave Amritsar, as what could mean a single vote for his wife would have cost him quite a few hundred votes,” said a source. “Even I remained in Amritsar today and did not go to vote. We all are supporting his candidature and anybody leaving at this juncture would not have helped,” said Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Singh, who is in charge of Amarinder’s campaign. Sources added that even Amarinder’s mother, Mohinder Kaur, could not vote in favour of Preneet because of poor health. “She went to the polling booth in a car but could not get down because of the harsh sun and ill heath,” said a family source. Amarinder, who is a star campaigner of the Congress, has not also campaigned for Preneet. He went to Patiala only once. “Preneet is going to win. She is very hardworking and is always around whenever the people of her constituency need her,” said Amarinder.
