‘Chai pe charcha’ to closed-door meets: Candidates confine themselves to chalk out strategy

After wrapping up a fortnight intense campaigning, candidates for the mayoral and councillor posts of the Karnal Municipal Corporation (MC) spent Saturday with party workers and supporters, discussing strategies for the polling day. Besides, candidates held “chai pe charcha” and closed-door meetings with prominent persons to discuss the elections. They also sought support from people.

Voting for the Karnal Mayor and councillors, as well as the chairpersons and councillors of Indri and Nilokheri civic bodies, along with the by-election for the chairperson of Assandh, will take place on Sunday. The voting will be held through EVMs.

BJP mayoral candidate Renu Bala Gupta sought blessings at Aatam Manohar Jain Aradhana Mandir and later visited a gaushala. She also interacted with party workers and local residents over tea at various locations. Confident of her victory, Renu claimed that the people of Karnal wanted a “triple-engine government” and assured that development projects would gain further momentum under her leadership.

“We will win by a huge margin. I promise to accelerate the pace of development works,” Renu said. Several groups from different sections of society extended their support to her at her residence, where she assured them of full cooperation and assistance.

Her husband, BJP’s working district president Brij Gupta, also held a series of closed-door meetings with various community representatives over tea. He, too, expressed confidence in his wife’s victory. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Union Power Minister Manohar Lal, the country, state and Karnal have witnessed overall growth. People have elected a double-engine government, and now they will elect a triple-engine government, which will further accelerate development,” said Brij Gupta.

Meanwhile, Congress mayoral candidate Manoj Wadhwa remained busy with party workers to finalise the polling day strategy. Wadhwa expressed confidence in his victory. “I am sure we will win by a huge margin, as people are resentful of the BJP government. There are silent voters who will cast their votes in my favour,” said Wadhwa.

Divyanshu Budhiraja, Youth Congress state president, who was assisting Manoj Wadhwa in making strategies, claimed that their party would not only secure the mayoral post, but also win multiple councillor seats.

Manoj Wadhwa’s wife Asha Wadhwa held closed-door meetings with various sections of society. She also asserted her husband’s victory, while saying, “We have received a tremendous response from all sections of society. We will win by a massive margin.”