All eyes on Khattar’s constituency

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 14

With the campaigning for the Karnal Municipal Corporation elections ending today, aspiring Mayor and councillors will now have their eye on the elections on Sunday. Post five-state Assembly election results, which revived Congress’ fortune, the MC poll would be a litmus test for the BJP and the Opposition ahead of the next Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Though there are eight candidates fighting for the Mayor’s post, political experts say the contest is between BJP candidate Renu Bala Gupta and Independent candidate Asha Wadhwa, who is supported by the INLD, BSP and the Congress.

However, Independent candidate Beant Kaur, wife of former councillor Balwinder Singh, and Kurukshetra MP Raj Kumar Saini-supported Independent candidate Komal Chandel can too spring a surprise.

On the last day of campaigning, the candidates reached out to maximum voters, leaving nothing to chance.

Asha Wadhwa, her husband and former deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa and their supporters took out a road show in the city to woo the voters. “CM Manohar Lal Khattar, his Cabinet ministers and the BJP cadre are working here to defeat me, but I trust the people of Karnal,” said Asha Wadhwa.

The BJP candidate marched through the busy markets of the city, appealing for votes. “I am seeking votes for the development work done by the BJP government. I am confident of a positive outcome,” she said.

Independent candidate Beant Kaur along with her husband and former councillor Balwinder Singh and independent candidate Komal Chandel also conducted a door-to-door campaign. Experts say considering Karnal is represented by the CM Khattar, stakes are quite high.