Battle of Nerves: Gymkhana Club poll fever brings life in Patiala to a halt, money flowing like water in club elections
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/December 19,2025
On December 20,2025, the Royal City Patiala is going to witness the high-voltage, high-stakes, costliest contest between its two dozen members to elect Rajindra Gymkhana and Mahindra Club (RGMC) executive body of 12 members.
The two groups- Friendship & Democratic and Unified Visionaries Alliance (Visionary + Goodwill+ Catalyst) group has fielded their 12 member each for the post of president, vice president, hony secretary, treasure and eight executive members.
Due to this election, the city has come to a halt, as for the past few days, Patiala’s elite have been busy enjoying free hospitality and campaigning for the candidates.
Both the groups have opened their offices for all those who would campaign for these candidates. Doors are open for also those campaigners, friends to have lavish breakfast, lunch, dinner with branded hard drinks, non veg items-fish, mutton, chicken etc. Money is flowing like water as almost daily double digit cases of liquor (one case = 12 bottles) are consumed in both the camp offices. Besides these they are giving lavish dinner with hard drinks to their profession members like doctors, advocates etc.
Even members are doing campaigns from door to door, offices, business houses, shops, parks wherever a member goes, lives, works. They are approaching the members living in nearby cities like Samana, Nabha, Rajpura etc.
They are not only spending on hospitality but spending heavily on publicity materials-hoardings, billboards, pamphlets, videos, publicity material, social media, mobilisation of supporters etc. Whatasapp are flooded with messages from the candidates, their sympathizers. Patialvies are busy in making calls to their known members to vote for their friend, relatives, friend’s friend, relatives relative.
Some of the members are fed up from this over campaigning by members whereas others are enjoying FREE hospitality offered by these candidates in this electoral battle.
“From banner-filled streets and nonstop campaign activities to elaborate arrangements aimed at influencing voters, the scale of expenditure has drawn sharp attention from the club members and the public” said a second generation club member on the condition of anonymity.
Another member pointed out that “the intense financial muscle on display has further heightened the already charged atmosphere, creating a palpable sense of tension across the royal city of Patiala. As rival groups lock horns in what is increasingly being seen as a battle of nerves, routine life in the city has been disrupted, with discussions around money power and electoral ethics dominating public discourse”
“The high-stakes battle has not only intensified the competition among candidates but has also significantly impacted normal life in the royal city of Patiala, as the atmosphere remains charged with political tension” said a senior member of the club.
The RGMC elections are now widely being described as one of the costliest elections witnessed in recent times.
