Hry CM to face tough opposition in Karnal

| | Chandigarh
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Hry CM to face tough opposition in Karnal

Tuesday, 11 December 2018 | PNS | Chandigarh

Political temperatures are soaring in the bitter winter weather in Haryana with aggressive election campaigning by Chief Minister Manohar Lal, his cabinet colleagues, leaders of Indian National Lok Dal and Congress for polls to five municipal corporations and two municipal committees on December 16.

With political experts viewing the elections as a referendum on the BJP Government’s four years performance, first time Chief Minister Manohar Lal is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a victory in these elections.

A day after holding a public meeting in Yamunanagar, the Chief Minister held a public meeting and also met party workers in his constituency, Karnal on Monday.

The election is for the seats of mayor and members of all wards of five Municipal Corporations including Hisar, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Panipat and Karnal and of two Municipal committees including Jakhal Mandi (Fatehabad) and Pundri (Kaithal).

BJP is contesting on its symbol in elections to the posts of both mayor and councilors while the INLD-BSP combine has also fielded their candidates for mayor posts. Congress is not contesting on its party symbol but has announced to back a few candidates.

In the civic body polls, it would be not a cakewalk for the BJP in Chief Minister’s constituency Karnal against a united opposition. While BJP has fielded Renu Bala Gupta as a mayoral candidate, both INLD and Congress have announced support for independent candidate Asha Wadhwa from Karnal.

Overall, eight candidates are contesting for mayoral post in Karnal MC.

Two-time former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his close aide, former Haryana Speaker and MLA Kuldeep Sharma have announced to support Asha Wadhwa to ensure BJP’s defeat in the elections.

“People have suffered a lot under BJP’s regime and they have geared up to oust this BJP Government. We have decided to support Asha Wadhwa, an independent candidate in Karnal to ensure BJP’s defeat in the polls,” Hooda said while talking to the mediapersonsa

On the other hand, Leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and INLD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala has deputed party’s state president Ashok Arora to oversee the election campaigning in Karnal as well as Yamunanagar. INLD’s senior leaders in Kaithal and Kurukshetra will also campaign for Asha Wadhwa in Karnal.

With his prestige at stake in his own constituency, Chief Minister on Monday held meetings with party workers in Karnal and asked them to reach out to the voters and apprize them about the achievements of BJP’s Government, which has recently completed its four years tenure in Haryana.

Manohar Lal, while talking to the mediapersons in Karnal on Monday said that the BJP is confident of its victory in these polls. When asked about a united opposition in Karnal against the BJP candidate, the Chief Minister said that the opposition is afraid of defeat that is why they have joined hands against the BJP.

“Congress is not contesting on party symbol and INLD has also not fielded its candidate from Karnal. This shows they have already accepted their defeat in the civic body polls. Both INLD and Congress are fighting for their survival,” he added. On his election agenda, the Chief Minister said that his government has focused on eradicating corruption, providing employment, good health and education services to the residents of the state.

According to the political experts, caste and social combinations will play a key role in the Karnal MC polls. The dominance of Punjabi community voters in Karnal may be gauged from the fact that MP Ashwini Chopra and Chief Minister Manohar Lal, who is a first time MLA from Karnal assembly seat, won the polls in 2014.

Karnal MC has 276066 voters where the mayor seat is reserved for a woman candidate.

The civic polls termed as semifinals before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as well as Manohar Lal’s popularity test is way beyond the local concerns. Issues including corruption, highest-ever prices of petrol and diesel, deteriorating law and order situation is being raised by the opposition while the ruling BJP is focusing on its achievements and highlighting various projects and schemes launched in the past four years.

Overall, a total of 59 candidates including 40 male candidates and 19 females candidates are in fray for Mayor and total 592 candidates including 320 males candidates and 272 females candidates are in fray for members of all the wards of municipal corporations.

Similarly, total 89 candidates including 35 males candidates and 55 females candidates are in fray for municipal committee.

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