Newly wed steps into canvassing shoes

The Election Commission was watching,so the wedding on January 18 was like just another ceremony – “low profile and not very special”. There were about 50 to 60 persons who attended,but Tej Narain Pandey alias ‘Pawan’,who is making his political debut contesting the forthcoming Assembly elections from Ayodhya on a Samajwadi Party ticket,is making most of his honeymoon period. His new bride,Atti Pandey,a BEd hailing from Faizabad,has been for the past three days going from door to door seeking aashirvaad (blessings) in the form of votes for Pawan,who filed his nomination papers on January 19. She is focussing on meeting and converting the womenfolk of the area into voters. Most of the crowd accompanying her in the campaign consists of womenfolk.

“There were elaborate arrangements for the wedding,and the date was fixed much before the poll dates were announced,” says Pandey. “But,once the model code of conduct came into effect,we had to change our plans. The guest list too was cut short,to avoid flouting of rules. Now,we have to visit personally so that many people who could not attend the wedding,” is his justification for the rounds he and his bride are making of the voters’ hub,covering Angooribagh,Amaniganj and Maqbara.

The couple are mapping up the constituency at a frantic pace and even holding post-wedding functions in which the bride takes the stage and addresses the gathering exhorting them to vote for the groom as a befitting wedding gift. “ This is the first time I am urging people to vote. It is totally a new experience for me “,she signs off.