Karnal Assembly segment: BJP, Congress held seat 5 times each

Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 21

The Karnal Assembly segment has been holding the tag of ‘CM City’ for the past 10 years. Currently, this seat is represented by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. It was previously held by former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Despite being a crucial constituency, the Congress has struggled to secure victory in Karnal in the last three elections, including a by-election in the last 10 years. Since its inception, the Karnal Assembly segment has witnessed a different political trend.

Out of the 16 elections held so far, including one by-election, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have won the seat five times each. The Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Independent candidates have each secured the seat twice, while the Janata Party and the Communist Party of India (CPI) have won it once each.

The Karnal Assembly constituency was originally part of the joint Punjab before Haryana was carved out as a separate state.

Arjun Arora of the Congress won the election in 1957, while Sardar Madho Singh of Communist Part of India (CPI) won the seat in 1962, Ram Lal of Bharatiya Jana Sangh emerged victorious in 1967.

Later in 1968, Independent candidate Shanti Prasad won the election, while Ram Lal won in 1972 and 1977 on the ticket of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Janatra Party, respectively.

In 1982, the Congress won the seat after a long gap of 25 years with Shanti Devi as its candidate.

In 1987, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the seat for the first time as its candidate Lachman Das secured victory, but in the next elections in 1991, Congress candidate Jai Parkash won the seat.

In 1996, the BJP again won the seat with its candidate Shashipal Mehta, while in 2000, Jai Parkash emerged victorious an Independent. In 2005 and 2009, Congress candidate Sumita Singh secured victory.

In 2014 and 2019, BJP candidate Manohar Lal Khattar won the seat, but after his resignation from the post of CM on May 12, 2024, a by-election was conducted on May 25 this year, which was won by BJP candidate Nayab Singh Saini.

Sources in the BJP said if CM Nayab Singh Saini does not contest from Karnal seat, there is a long list of ticket aspirants from this seat, which include former Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, former district party president Ashok Sukhija, former media coordinator of former CM, Jagmohan Anand, among others.

The Congress also has a long list of ticket aspirants as 23 leaders have applied for ticket. Congress state working president Suresh Gupta, former MLA Sumita Singh Virk, former Haryana Minority Commission chairman Trilochan Singh, former Deputy Mayor Karnal Manoj Wadhwa, former AICC coordinator Parag Gaba, Om Parkash Saluja, Ramesh Saini, Sanjay Kumar Chandel, Ashok Khurana, Lalit Arora, Rani Kamboj and Gurvinder Kaur are among those who have sought ticket from the Karnal Assembly segment.

To regain its lost ground in Karnal, the Congress workers and leaders are working hard and have already launched the ‘Karnal Mange Hisaab’ campaign on the lines of the party’s state campaign ‘Haryana Mange Hisaab’. Leaders are reaching out to people to highlight the alleged failure of the BJP. On the other hand, the BJP’s cadre is also connecting with people, highlighting the achievements of the party.

Political experts consider that this election would be crucial for both political parties – BJP and Congress. “The BJP will try to retain its hold on the seat as well as voters, while the Congress will make efforts to regain its base. CM Nayab Singh Saini has already made several announcements to contain the anti-incumbency, but still the BJP has to work hard. It is not a cakewalk for the Congress as well; it has to check its internal fighting,” said Dr Kushal Pal, a political expert and principal of Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa.