Renu Bala Gupta takes oath as Karnal Mayor for third term
BJP senior leader Renu Bala Gupta took oath as the Mayor of Karnal for the third consecutive term. She was sworn in with other mayors, councillors, and chairpersons of different civic bodies during a state-level function in Panchkula on Tuesday.
She outlined her key priorities, which include streamlining the city's traffic system, making roads pothole-free, ensuring proper parking spaces, addressing the issues of stray dogs, stray cattle and the monkey menace and ensuring overall inclusive development of the city.
Gupta was fielded by the BJP from the Karnal seat and won with a margin of 25,359 votes, defeating Congress candidate Manoj Wadhwa. She secured 83,630 votes, while Wadhwa received 58,271 votes. She was first elected in 2013, when city councillors voted for her. In 2018, she won through a direct election, and now, in 2025, she has once again emerged victorious through direct voting.
“With the blessings of the people of Karnal, I have been elected for the third time and have had the opportunity to take the oath for the third consecutive term. The people of Karnal are my family, and their problems are my problems. It is my duty to address their issues on priority. I assure them a hassle-free platform where they can raise their voices," said Mayor Gupta.
She said people of Karnal gave mandate to the BJP as they believe in the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and CM Nayab Singh Saini. “I am thankful to the party’s leadership for expressing faith in me,” she asserted.
Speaking on one of the city’s major concerns—stray animals—Mayor Gupta assured that immediate steps would be taken to tackle the problem.
“Stray cattle, stray dogs and monkeys pose a serious threat to public safety. My priority is to implement effective measures to control their population and ensure proper shelters for them. Citizens must feel safe while walking on the streets. We will work on a sustainable solution for the issue," she said.
The Mayor also promised inclusive development of the city, ensuring that infrastructure, cleanliness and urban planning would be carried out efficiently to improve the quality of life for all residents.
“I will ensure the overall development of the city without any discrimination, whether the ward councillor is independent or from my party. All wards are my own and their development is my priority,” said Gupta.
Mayor Gupta emphasised efforts to improve Karnal’s ranking in Swachh Survekshan.
“All councillors and officials will work together to improve the city's ranking in Swachh Survekshan. I also appeal to the people of Karnal to contribute by submitting their feedback in the citizen feedback section, which is a major component of the survey. We must keep our surroundings clean and maintain hygiene in public toilets. I urge every household to segregate their garbage before handing it over to collection vehicles," she said.
