MC elections: First-time MLA Anand’s prestige on the line to ensure BJP’s win

The upcoming mayoral elections in Karnal, scheduled for March 2, is being seen as a prestige battle for first-time BJP MLA Jagmohan Anand. With the BJP's official candidate, two-time former Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, in direct contest against Congress candidate and former Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa, the responsibility of ensuring a decisive victory rests directly on Anand’s shoulders.

Jagmohan Anand won the Karnal Assembly seat with a margin of 33,652 votes, securing 90,006 votes, while Congress candidate and former MLA Sumita Singh Virk received 56,354 votes. Anand needs to prove his political mettle by delivering a resounding victory for Gupta.

The Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) consists of 20 wards, which fall across four Assembly segments—Karnal, Gharaunda Indri, and Nilokheri. However, the majority of the areas are in the Karnal segment, making Anand’s prestige directly at stake.

The Karnal city is considered a BJP stronghold, having been represented for the past 10 years by former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and CM Nayab Singh Saini. Renu Bala Gupta was first elected as a councillor in 2013 as an Independent candidate and later became the Mayor. She joined the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, and in 2019, she was re-elected Mayor on the BJP ticket. Now, she is once again running on the BJP ticket.

Anand is making all-out efforts to ensure Gupta’s victory. He is holding meetings with party workers and locals, as any dent in the party’s performance in the civic polls could reflect poorly on Anand’s leadership.

As per the political analysts, the mayoral election is also a test of Anand’s influence within the BJP as well as in Karnal city. "Anand secured the Assembly ticket over other senior contenders, including Gupta and won the seat by a large margin with the support of former Mayor Gupta and her husband, BJP officiating district president Brij Gupta. Anand will work to ensure a strong voter turnout in favour of Renu Bala. A narrow victory margin could weaken his position within the party. Gupta’s victory would also be recognition of her work during the past two terms,” said Dr Kushal Pal, Principal, Indira Gandhi National College Ladwa.

With Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, former CM and Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and other senior BJP leaders backing the campaign, Anand is confident of a BJP victory. “BJP will win all 20 seats, as well as the Mayor’s post, in the upcoming Karnal MC elections. The BJP mayoral candidate will secure the highest number of votes in Haryana,” said Anand.

“Since my victory in the Assembly election, I have remained in constant touch with the people of my constituency. I am available to them round the clock. The people of my constituency want a triple-engine government for speedy and constant growth,” he added.

Renu Bala Gupta also claimed her and all 20 councillor candidates victory. "We will win by a huge margin in the mayoral elections,” said Gupta.