Party agents shed poll rivalry, share snacks

After initial hiccups it was all well between several polling agents of different political parties who were earlier strangers to each other.

Hours together at the polling booths led them to sharing snacks and even workload.
In many cases it appeared all the agents at that polling booth belonged to th
e same party. In other cases, party colour caps defined their political inclinations.

“It felt awkward to be sharing the same desk with our political rivals when we arrived here in the morning. But we have bonded with each other now,” said Renika Jaiswal, representing Congress party at the model polling station in Janakpuri.

In fact, when asked in whose favour most votes were going, the three agents of the leading parties in Delhi were reluctant to answer.

“We don’t want to displease each other by claiming the upper hand,” said Vinay Modi, the BJP’s polling agent at the same station.

While the agents at this booth claimed to have not known each other till Thursday morning, at some other booths all the agents knew each other closely.

“The three of us belong to the same colony and have known each other for years. Till 6 pm today we belong to the different parties. After that we are all the same till
the day of counting,” said Imran Khan, AAP’s agent at a booth in Uttam Nagar while his BJP counterpart nods approvingly.

The situation was no different outside the polling stations as workers of different parties spread their help desks next to each other at many places.

“BJP workers received lunch thalis and they shared
it with us,” said Samir Arora, an AAP worker at Uttam Nagar.

While not revealing their political differences, the volunteers said they were unsparing when it came to wooing the voters.

“We are still political enemies till voting ends today,” says Samir even as a Congress volunteer takes a guarded position against him in jest.