Show inked fingers, get discounted food in Patna

In an attempt to motivate and encourage voters to come out of their homes to cast their votes restaurants in Patna have offered special discounts to those who vote on May 19 in the last phase of the general election. Patna district has two constituencies Patna Sahib and Pataliputra, both going to polls on Sunday.

Patna: Restaurant owners in Patna have decided to offer discounts to the voters in the last phase of the general election on Sunday.

Lakhu Ka Dhaba, a multi-cuisine restaurant on Fraser Road, has offered of 17 percent discount on all its products.

"We have offered 17 percent discount for voters who will visit our restaurant after casting their vote. This is being done to celebrate the festival of democracy and promote voting" said Vijay Kumar a restaurant manager.

"This is an eight-year-old restaurant but the discount is being offered for the first time," he said.

At Laziz Tandoori on Fraser Road, its manager Dushyant Raj said there will be a range of discounts on various food items.

"We are offering a discount to voters, who come to our place and show their inked finger, and, depending on the results on May 23, will offer a bigger discount on that day," Raj said.

However, many restaurateurs are playing it by ear and plan to offer discounts if only they get a good crowd.

"People prefer to stay indoors after voting on polling day and we hardly get a good crowd during the day. If we get a substantital number of customers by evening we might offer a discount to voters," said an employee of Sagar Restaurant on Old Patna Bypass Road.

Owner of the Food Hut, also on Old Bypass Road has similar plans.

Patna district has two constituencies Patna Sahib and Pataliputra, both going to polls on Sunday.

The state capital falls under Patna Sahib constituency, represented by Congress candidate Shatrughan Sinha who is pitted against union minister and BJP nominee Ravi Shankar Prasad.