'Here's prasad, don't forget to vote'

AAP candidate from Chandigarh Gul Panag during her campaign for Lok sabha elections in Chandigarh, PTI photo

Not just prasad, you also get advice to vote when you visit various temples here now. Priests at various temples across Chandigarh are urging people to vote on election day.

The auspicious period of Navratras in the Hindu religious calendar is ensuring greater number of people flocking to temples.

From temples to sweets shops to other shops, everyone seems to be doing their bit to urge Chandigarh’s over 6,00,000 voters to exercise their franchise on April 10 when election to the lone Lok Sabha seat from this Union Territory takes place.

In the Sector 24 temple, the general notice put up on the notice board by the temple management too urges the devotees to cast their vote. In the Sector 46 temple, a pamphlet is being distributed along with the prasad, asking people to treat their vote not as a right but as a duty. Other temples too are urging people to vote.

At least, two prominent sweets shop chains, which have a number of outlets in and around the city, are pasting stickers on boxes of sweets and even gift-wrapped items urging voters to cast their vote.

“We are putting up stickers on our sweets boxes to explain the importance of voting. We will offer discount on voting day also,” said Neeraj Bajaj, owner of leading sweets shop Sindhi Sweets.

Other shops are chipping in by offering discount to people who cast their vote and want to buy things. From dress material to shoes to cosmetics to department stores, a number of them are offering discounts.

Even the state-run hotels like Mountview, Shivalikview and Parkview are offering discount ranging from 20 to 35 per cent on April 10 and 11. Of the over 6,00,000 voters, nearly 46 per cent voters are women in the city.

It is for the first time in Chandigarh that three of the four contestants from major political parties are women.