Cong turns ‘watchdog’, BJP keeps ‘faith’ in police force

Panchkula: With exit polls predicting a favourable outcome for the Congress in the Haryana assembly elections, the party is not leaving anything to chance ahead of counting of votes for Panchkula and Kalka constituencies on Tuesday. Fearing foul play, the party workers have been guarding two counting centres 24x7, set up in Panchkula, for both the constituencies.
After polling on Saturday, EVMs and VVPAT machines were kept in strong rooms, which were then sealed.EVMs will be taken out for counting on Tuesday.
The Congress has pitched tents outside the counting centres where its workers are permanently sitting throughout the day since the machines were shifted here. The anxiousness can be gauged from the fact that even party’s Panchkula candidate Chander Mohan stayed put near the counting centre till 1am on Monday and then visited the counting centre several times during the day too.
“To ensure there is no foul play at the counting centres here, we are watchful. Whether it is day or night, we are present here till the counting is done. We are fearful, and the BJP is not because they already know they are losing,” Chander Mohan told TOI.
While Congress workers kept an eye on the counting centres from outside, its candidate went inside the centre for inspecting the premises. The candidates are, however, not permitted to go near the strong rooms.
On the other hand, the BJP claimed that they have faith in the police in this regard and that is why they have not sent their leaders to keep an eye on the counting centres.
BJP’s candidate and incumbent MLA Gian Chand Gupta said, “We have not deployed any of our partymen at the counting centres. We have full faith in our police and security agencies.”
For Kalka constituency, the counting centre has been set up in Government College, Sector 14. For Panchkula constituency, it has been set up in Government College, Sector 1.
All the strong rooms are under CCTV surveillance. Electronic voting machines have been kept under three-layer security. Haryana Police and paramilitary forces are deployed for the security of the strong rooms. The voter turnout in Panchkula district was recorded at 65.22% — 72.07% in Kalka and 59.36% in Panchkula constituency.