In Karnal, Ganaur MLA Sharma backs Independent

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 9

Ganaur MLA Kuldeep Sharma on Sunday said he would back Independent mayoral candidate Asha Wadhwa.

Two-time former MLA Sumita Singh has already announced her support to Wadhwa. The INLD-BSP alliance is also supporting her. Among Wadhwa’s opponents is BJP’s Renu Bala Gupta.

With Wadhwa getting support from Opposition parties, the mayoral election has turned out to be a contest between the ruling BJP and the united Opposition.

Sharma, former Assembly Speaker, held a meeting with Congress leaders of the district at his house to decide on the mayoral elections. Former MLAs Sumita Singh, Rakesh Kamboj and Bhimsen Mehta, former district Congress president Surinder Narwal, Virender Maratha, and 19 former councilors attended the meeting.

“The primary aim is to defeat the BJP. So, all Congress leaders present in the meeting decided to support Wadhwa. Karnal residents are angry at the BJP for ignoring Karnal in development works. They will teach the BJP a lesson in the MC elections,” Sharma said, adding that “former MLAs and I have asked the party cadre to work wholeheartedly and ensure the BJP’s defeat in the mayoral elections”.

On Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his ministers planning to campaign for BJP candidates here, the former Speaker said their presence would negatively affect the prospects of BJP candidates. “People are unhappy with the working of the CM and his Officer on Special Duty.”

State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar, who was in the city for a district-level Brahmin convention, stopped short of extending support to any candidate, but asked workers to cast their vote against nominees of the BJP and INLD. “The Congress has not fielded any candidate. I have left it to the local party cadre to choose the perfect candidate for Karnal except for those contesting on the symbols of the BJP and the INLD,” he said.

Hooda supports Wadhwa

Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda today backed Independent candidate Asha Wadhwa, who is fighting against BJP candidate Renu Bala Gupta for the Mayor's post.