Sunday, January 30 2005 12:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hissar (Haryana): Candidates racing across Haryana's villages to curry favour with voters are facing a sweet danger, one from which even their securitymen cannot protect them.

As they campaign for the coming Assembly elections in the State from village to village, candidates are virtually forced into every second house for a cup of tea, some sweetmeats and an occasional glass of milk.

"It is the custom in Haryana, if a supporter offers you 'chai-coffee' (tea or coffee), you cannot refuse," says Kuldeep Singh Bishnoi, Congress Member of Parliament from Bhiwani and the son of party stalwart Bhajan Lal.

And it is a lot of cups of tea that are on offer.

Says Om Prakash Nain, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) candidate from Uchana Kalan in Jind district, "I have been on the campaign trail for over three weeks and I have to take upto 150 cups of tea every day."

Some contestants have developed their own way to get around the perils of drinking so much of the liquid. "I usually take just a sip from every cup that is offered, otherwise it will be an insult for the supporter," says Rajesh Godara, who is fighting against Bhajan Lal in Adampur Mandi.

"Even then, I must be drinking 10 cups a day," he adds with a wry smile.