A battle of prestige for BJP, Congress in Karnal

The Karnal Municipal Corporation elections are set to witness an intense battle between the BJP and the Congress. At stake is the prestige of Union Power Minister and former CM Manohar Lal Khattar as well as that of Karnal MLA Jagmohan Anand. Besides, the outcome will determine the future of the Congress that witnessed the exit of a large number of leaders from the party last week.

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The BJP has fielded two-time Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, banking on her experience and the party’s governance model, while the Congress has placed its bet on former Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa, aiming to challenge the ruling party’s dominance in the city. Both candidates have aggressively campaigned in the past two weeks, but 'silent voters' are expected to play a crucial role in deciding the outcome.

With 3,01,915 registered voters—including 1,45,890 females, and six transgenders—casting their votes at 256 polling booths across 20 wards, the election will also determine the fate of 18 councillors, as two have been elected unopposed.

Political analysts say Karnal has been at the centre of the state's political landscape for the past decade, having been the constituency of Khattar during his two consecutive terms as CM. Khattar has now been elected MP from the Karnal Lok Sabha seat. As a Union minister, his influence will be put to the test.

CM Nayab Singh Saini also served as MLA from this seat for around five months, having been elected in a bypoll.

Additionally, the political future of Jagmohan Anand, sitting BJP MLA from Karnal, hinges on the results. Anand secured a massive victory in the 2024 Assembly elections, defeating Congress candidate Sumita Singh by 33,652 votes. However, this municipal election will serve as a referendum on his acceptance among urban voters.

“The results of the Karnal mayoral election will reflect the impact of Khattar, Anand, and Renu Bala Gupta on people of the city. The outcome will also decide whether the Congress will bounce back, despite a large number of leaders deserting the party. Silent voters hold the key,” said Dr Kushal Pal, principal of Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa.