BARGARH: Their restricted mobility due to old age could not deter their determination to exercise their franchise.
On Monday, centenarians Ramji Sahu and Lochana Naik became an inspiration for many young voters as they stepped out of their houses in wheelchairs and arrived at polling booths, albeit with much difficulty, to cast their votes in the Bijepur bypoll.
The 107-year-old Ramji of Bijepur who cast his vote in country’s first General Election held in the year 1951, said he has never failed to vote in any election including the last General Elections and previous Bijepur bypoll held in February 2018.
A retired primary school teacher, he voted in a polling booth at the Sankarshan Upper Primary School which he joined as a Mathematics teacher in 1942. He retired from the same school. Despite his geriatric problems, he reached the polling station along with his grandson Prasanta Sahu. He was brought to the polling booth in a wheelchair.
Ramji, who was the cynosure of all eyes at the polling station, said he has never missed a single election in Independent India, be it a panchayat election or the General Elections. "I feel proud being a part of the electoral process," he said.
His grandson was reluctant to bring him to the polling booth because of his health condition. “But he had been insisting since morning to vote. Seeing his enthusiasm, I could not refuse”, he said.
Similarly, 100-year-old Lochana Naik of Agalpur village under Barpali block cast her vote in polling booth 71. Geriatric problems coupled with trouble in hearing and a weakening body failed to deter her spirit to vote. A group of volunteers and two family members brought her to the booth in a wheelchair so that she can vote for her favoured candidate.
“The election is important for us and for the area. Each one of us has to contribute to the electoral process for development”, she said.