MC poll: BJP’s Gupta eyes hat-trick, Cong’s Wadhwa promises fresh vision for Karnal

The mayoral contest in the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) is intensifying as the BJP pushes for a third consecutive term with its candidate Renu Bala Gupta, banking on her development record and promise of continuity. The Congress has fielded former Deputy Mayor Manoj Wadhwa, who is positioning himself as a strong alternative, challenging the BJP’s dominance and promising a fresh vision for the city. However, there are two Independent candidates, but the battle seems to be between the BJP and the Congress. The fate of four candidates for the mayoral post will be decided on March 2, when nearly three lakh eligible voters will cast their votes through EVMs.

Gupta has served two terms as Mayor—first, she was elected as a councillor in 2013, and later, councillors chose her as Mayor. In 2018, she was directly elected as Mayor of Karnal. Whereas Wadhwa, served as Deputy Mayor under Gupta’s first tenure in 2013. He was elected as a councillor on an INLD ticket, following which the councillors elected him as Deputy Mayor. In 2014, he contested the Assembly elections against former CM Manohar Lal Khattar on an INLD ticket but failed to secure victory. In 2018, his wife Asha Wadhwa contested the Karnal mayoral elections as an Independent candidate but lost in a close contest. After the election, Wadhwa joined the BJP, but ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he switched to the Congress.

With the Congress facing defeat in the recent Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Wadhwa faces an uphill battle against the BJP’s well-organised campaign machinery, which includes its panna pramukhs, shakti kendras, tridev setups, booth, block, mandal committees and district leadership. Additionally, several key Congress leaders have defected to the BJP, adding challenge to Wadhwa. The Congress’s lack of a strong organisational structure has also become a major hurdle for his campaign.

Despite this, Wadhwa is actively engaging with voters through door-to-door outreach and personal meetings, while Gupta is focusing on nukkar meetings. Wadhwa is highlighting public grievances, corruption allegations and unfulfilled promises under the BJP’s governance, asserting that the Congress was contesting on the strength of the people. He was confident of his victory.

“I am contesting with the support of my party’s loyal and dedicated workers, leaders as well as on the strength of people of Karnal. People want a change and we will win with a huge margin and make a strong comeback. I will ensure the true development of the city. My key agenda is the overall development of all 20 wards, and we will introduce a single-window system for citizens to address minor issues efficiently,” said Wadhwa.

He further said he would be available round the clock for the people.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate Gupta is leaving no stone unturned to ensure her victory. She is campaigning on her track record, emphasising infrastructure development and urban modernisation and urging voters to continue Karnal’s transformation under the BJP leadership.

“Beautification of parks with open-air gyms, construction of grand entry gates named after eminent personalities, installation of LED streetlights, widening and renovation of roads to improve traffic management, construction of slip roads at key locations, installation of CCTV cameras for enhanced security, construction of an astroturf hockey ground, an Olympic-level all-weather swimming pool and a synthetic track at Karna Stadium, construction of a canal-front project along the Western Yamuna Canal, setting up of a traffic awareness park to educate citizens about road safety are among some projects which we have constructed,” said former Mayor while addressing a nukar meeting.

“We have undertaken extensive work for the city’s development, and I am committed to continuing this progress. With BJP governments at both the state and the Centre, Karnal will benefit from uninterrupted development,” said Gupta.