45-year-old Saini reached the Haryana Assembly from his constituency which falls in Kurukshetra district on the opening day of its Monsoon session yesterday along with ten other party workers, all of whom were riding a bicycle.
"We left Kurukshetra at 5:20 AM and reached Chandigarh at 1:45 PM after cycling close to 110 km. When we reached close to the Vidhan Sabha, the security officials stopped us, but they let us go after I informed them that I was a legislator and had also sought permission for ten of my fellow party workers to accompany me till the Assembly's gate," Saini said.
"Our busy schedule allows us little time for exercise. Since early morning people come to meet you. You can't tell them, I will take an hour for exercise and meet later. For the past few months, I also saw an increase in my blood pressure level. Then I thought why not take up cycling," he said.
"With busy schedule and stressful life, which many people have these days, even people at a young age are suffering from various ailments like heart problems," Saini said.
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He said that he uses bicycle to cover nearby distances in his constituency, which allows him more freedom to interact and greet people along the way.
"Even when I am in Chandigarh, I cycle for my meetings, be it to the Vidhan Sabha or the Civil Secretariat. I have kept a bicycle at my MLA flat in Chandigarh and when I have to meet the Chief Minister also, I ride a cycle to reach his office or residence," he said.
"I have also started a practice in my constituency to gift a plant sapling to school children on their birthdays," he added.