Congress fields two former MLAs from Karnal, Indri

The Congress has fielded two former MLAs, Sumita Singh and Rakesh Kamboj, from Karnal and Indri Assembly segments, respectively, while it has shown faith in former AICC secretary and prominent Rajput face Virender Rathore in the Gharaunda Assembly segment. Earlier, the Congress renominated sitting MLA Shamsher Singh Gogi from Assandh and fielded independent MLA Dharampal Gonder from Nilokheri.

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Former MLA Sumita Singh won twice from the Karnal seat in 2005 and 2009, but lost in 2014 when she contested from the Assandh seat. This time she is contesting against BJP candidate Jagmohan Anand, who served as a media coordinator to former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Singh is confident of making it to the state Assembly as “people of Karnal have witnessed no major change in the past ten years, even as it has been a CM city”.

Kamboj, who won the Indri seat in 2005, had contested the last Assembly election as an Independent candidate but was defeated by BJP's Ram Kumar Kashyap by 7,431 votes. Kamboj is once again up against Kashyap in a bid to reclaim the seat. Kamboj is also confident of his victory.

Rathore had previously contested in 2005, 2009, and 2014 but could not win. Despite his past setbacks, he remained a prominent leader. He was also a ticket aspirant for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He will take on BJP candidate and sitting MLA Harvinder Kalyan, who won the seat in 2014 and 2019.

“People of Gharaunda want change as the ruling BJP has ignored the area and no major development work has been done here. We will win with the support of the people of Gharaunda,” said Rathore.