From buying vegetables and spending time with family after weeks, to catching up on sleep and playing harmonium, Lok Sabha candidates in Delhi relaxed and shook off tiredness Monday, a day after polling ended in the national Capital.
After spending months preparing for the polls, while some preferred to let their hair down, others returned to their normal routines.
Delhi Congress chief and North East Delhi candidate Sheila Dikshit stayed at home and spent time with her family, meeting leaders and workers of the party.
“Sheila ji spent time with her son, daughter and sister at home and met party leaders and workers. She followed her routine like normal days,” said a close aide of the former three time chief minister of Delhi.
Dikshit’s BJP counterpart and her rival in North East Delhi seat Manoj Tiwari, who was involved in party affairs besides campaigning, slept till 10 am to shake off tiredness.
“I woke up at 10 am although usually I leave the bed around 7 am. After some stretching and treadmill exercise, I spent time playing harmonium and rehearsing singing with friends,” Tiwari said.
He also interacted with party workers and leaders getting their feedback on voting for the polls. Union minister Harsh Vardhan, who is contesting from Chandni Chowk, spent time reading newspapers and playing with his pet dogs.
BJP’s celebrity candidate from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir left for Mumbai after voting ended on Sunday evening, said party spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor.
Gambhir had a chance meeting with his friend Harbhajan Singh at the airport and he will return from Mumbai after fulfilling his prior commitment and focus on his constituency, he said.’
His rival, AAP candidate Atishi Marlena, relaxed with her team who helped her in campaigning in the last few months and served them homemade cookies. “At no point did I feel like I’m fighting this election alone. I want to thank each and every one of you (volunteers) for your spectacular commitment, drive and passion.,” she said.
Congress’s Chandni Chowk candidate JP Agarwal woke up early at 5.45 am and spent time time with his grand- daughters besides surfing the Internet, said his son Mudit.
Many candidates, who were spending most of their time campaigning with their supporters, preferred to spend their day at home with family.
AAP’s North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey said he was able to spend time with his son and daughter after months. “After months I got up at 8 am which is very late, as during campaigning
I used to wake up around 6 am. I went for a jog to get in shape and then met son Vatsal and daughter Agamya after months as I was forced to be outdoors till late hours during campaigning,” Pandey said.
Pankaj Gupta, AAP candidate from Chandni Chowk, preferred to finish household chores like buying vegetables for his family. “I also cleared pending bills. After months perhaps, I am feeling light, without any stress. I spent some quality time with my family members,” he said.
Balbir Singh Jakhar, AAP’s West Delhi candidate, said he resumed his work as an advocate.
“I went to my Dwarka office and resumed my work as a lawyer and social worker. I did puja in the morning had breakfast with my family, then I left for my work at 9.30 am,” he said.
Boxer-turned-politician Vijender Singh, Congress’ candidate from South Delhi, is recovering from a sore throat, after campaigning for 18 days.
“He spent quality time with his five-year-old son Abir, whom he had not seen in days. He used to leave for campaigning at 6 am and return around midnight, when his son would be sleeping. He is also catching up on his sleep,” said a close aide of Singh.
All the candidates are waiting with bated breath for March 23, when the results will be declared.
