BJP riding high on Modi wave; Opposition flags unemployment, inflation, property IDs

Parveen Arora

Karnal, May 14

As the date of elections draws near, candidates have intensified their poll campaign for the Karnal Lok Sabha Constituency and the Karnal Assembly segment. The ruling BJP candidates from both seats are riding high on “Modi magic” and work of the state government.

Former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is contesting for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat, and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is also the BJP candidate for the Karnal Assembly elections. They are leading the campaign with national issues and the state government’s achievements to strengthen their position.

The BJP candidates are seeking votes on national security, abrogation of Article 370, the construction of Ram Mandir and issues over Pak Occupied Kashmir.

Both Khattar and Saini are hitting the roads, engaging in public meetings, emphasising their track record of good governance, transparency and fair recruitment practices.

In contrast, the Congress candidates from both seats are focussing on economic challenges, particularly unemployment and inflation. Divyanshu Budhiraja, the Congress candidate for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat, has been raising these concerns, trying to strike a chord with the electorate disillusioned by economic hardships. He is also highlighting the issue of removal of Manohar Lal Khattar from the CM’s post.

The Congress candidate for the Karnal Assembly elections, Trilochan Singh, has been criticising the state government’s administrative measures, highlighting issues related to online portals, family IDs, and property IDs, claiming that these steps have been initiated to harass the public.

Meanwhile, the INLD-backed NCP (Sharad Panwar) candidate, Maratha Virender Verma, BSP candidate Inderjeet Jalmana, and JJP candidate Devender Singh Kadian are campaigning around the narrative of “outsiders,” targeting former CM Khattar, Chief Minister Saini and Congress candidate Divyanshu. They are also raising the issue that no project was brought by sitting MP Sanjay Bhatia alleging that he remained absent from the constituency.