Candidates prefer to campaign over Republic Day functions

Chandigarh, Jan 27 (UNI) The enthusiaism with which political leaders normally participate in Republic Day functions, was absent, as the model code of conduct of the Election Commission of India (ECI) had cast its shadow over the Punjab where assembly polls are being held on February 13.

A majority of the candidates in the electoral battlefield , irrespective of their party affilitions commenced their campaign early in the morning yesterday and did not attend Republic Day functions.

Those who did attend functions or were luck to unfurl the national flag, were very cautious not to make any election related announcements or highlight the achievements of the government.

''I started my campaign early in the morning and did not attend any Republic Day function'', Congress candidate and sitting MLA from the Amritsar West assembly constituency O P Soni confessed. Mr Soni who normally used to unfurl the national flag in the Putligarh locality of Amritsar city admitted that the ECI instructions for Republic Day functions kept him away.

The BJP candidate for the Amritsar Parliamentary by-election Navjot Singh Sidhu attended a function organised by his party in Amritsar city. Sidhu left the function before the national flag could be unfurled and left for campaigning in his constituency.

The ECI in its instructions had directed candidates not to make any poll related announcements or highlight the achievements of the government at Republic Day functions.

Election Observors attended many of these functions throughout the state to monitor the speeches of the ministers, MLAs and other political leaders.

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