Lok Sabha election: Greenhorn poses tough challenge to former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Parveen Arora

Karnal, May 17

Congress candidate Divyanshu Budhiraja, who is making his electoral debut in Haryana, is giving two-time Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar a run for his money in the high-stakes Karnal Lok Sabha constituency.

Budhiraja (31), who represents a new generation of leadership in the Congress, which believes in aggressive campaigning the issues facing the youth such as unemployment, inflation, and failure of governance at different platforms.

Khattar’s achievements

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Former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, also from the Punjabi community, is capitalising on his long political experience and highlighting achievements of inclusive development, transparency in recruitment process, digitalisation, good governance, and providing uninterrupted power supply to residents of Haryana.

Will create jobs

I have consistently raised the issue of unemployment across various platforms. If elected, I will try my best to create job opportunities and economic growth in the Karnal segment. Divyanshu Budhiraja, Congress candidate

Hailing from a Punjabi background, Budhiraja never misses the change of guard by the BJP midway which resulted in showing the door to Khattar and hopes to convert anti-incumbency against the government in his favour. Budhiraja’s journey is primarily rooted in student activism. His tenure as the president of the Students’ Council at Panjab University showcased his leadership and dedication to students’ welfare. Now, he is serving as the president of the Haryana Youth Congress.

During his speeches, he promises to address the issue of rampant unemployment. “I have consistently raised the issue of unemployment across various platforms. If elected, I will try my best to create job opportunities and economic growth in the Karnal segment,” said Budhiraja.

A graduate in engineering, Budhiraja sheds light on different issues such as difficulties being faced by people due to the portal system, property IDs and family IDs. He is also highlighting the issue of crop insurance referring to the failure of the government.

Having limited time, Budhiraja starts his campaigning early in the morning and continues till late night. He takes nearly two hours of sleep daily. During his campaign, he remains humble and courteous.

However, Khattar, also from the Punjabi community, which has a sizeable presence in the constituency, is also not leaving any stone unturned to ensure his victory. Apart from it, Khattar is also campaigning across the state for the remaining nine Lok Sabha candidates. Several key leaders of the party are also campaigning for Khattar and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who is contesting Karnal Assembly elections.

Khattar, who was named candidate much ahead of the other candidates, has wasted no time in ramping up his election campaign, capitalising on his extensive political experience. The BJP stalwart highlights his achievements of inclusive development, transparency in recruitment, digitalisation, good governance, and providing uninterrupted power supply.

However, what could make things tough for Khattar is the joining of former Panipat City MLA Rohita Revri, an influential leader of the Panipat area, and former Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhawa from Karnal into the Congress fold in just two days. Out of three Independent MLAs — one from Dharampal Gonder (Nilokheri), who has extended support to the Congress after withdrawing support to the BJP may also affect prospects of the BJP. Meanwhile, Maratha Virender Verma, who belongs to the Ror community, which also has a sizable number of voters in this constituency, is the INLD-backed NCP (Sharad Panwar) candidate.

To counter Verma, the BJP has selected Himmat Singh, currently working as Additional Advocate General, as chairman of HSSC. The BSP has fielded Inderjeet Jalmana and JJP Devender Kadian in the Karnal battle. Inderjeet is a first-timer, while Kadian’sfather Satbir Singh Kadian was Speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.