Prestige affair for Khattar

Municipal Corporations in five districts of Haryana: Karnal, Panipat, Yamunagar, Rohtak and Hisar, due in October, goes to poll on 16 December. The announcement came nine months after the first announcement of wardbandi in Karnal Municipal Corporation followed by Panipat and other districts. Moving one step ahead towards transparency, after laying down educational qualifications for candidates contesting elections under Panchayati Raj Institutions, the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana approved direct election of mayors in September. The voters will not only vote for the ward councillor but also the mayor. This is in line with the elections for panches and sarpanches, where villagers vote for the sarpanch and the ward panch. Adding another feather on the crown, Khattar also gave nod to the cabinet decision of reserving Karnal mayor seat for woman candidate and neighboring Panipat for backward class woman while the post of the mayor is unreserved in Hisar, Rohtak and Yamunanagar.

Statue of King Karan at the Karan Taal Park in Karnal
(The Tribune)

According to The Tribune, as many as 14,01,157 voters, including 7,46,126 males, 6,55,021 females and 10 transgenders, would exercise their franchise in the elections to seven municipal bodies, besides, 1,292 polling booths would be set up for 136 wards. Out of these, 14 wards are reserved for Scheduled Caste, 12 reserved for SC women, 14 for Backward Class and 37 wards are reserved for women. As per a news report published in Karnal Breaking News, returning officer captain Shakti Singh said, "There are total 8 mayor candidates and 95 councillor candidates. We've allotted election symbol to every candidate."

Renu Bala Gupta with Haryana CM Manohar Lal at a rally in
Karnal's ram nagar.
(From facebook page of Renu Bala Gupta )

Ex-Mayor Renu Bala Gupta is the Mayoral candidate for BJP and independent candidate Asha Wadhwa, wife of former deputy mayor Manoj Wadhwa, are major candidates. Wives of some ex councilors and leaders are also contesting on mayor seats. CM Khattar along with local MLAs and cabinet ministers have campaigned for Renu Bala. Congress with some early speculations of fighting these elections on symbol, dropped the idea and as usual backed it's ward candidates along with independent mayor candidate Asha Wadhwa. While major opposition party: INLD, already involved in infighting has also offered support to Asha. Now, Asha is supported by INLD-BSP alliance and some congress leaders including PCC Ashok Tanwar, Ex-CM Bhupender Hooda and two time Karnal MLA Sumita Singh.

Asha Wadhwa in a roadshow appealing for vote.
(Karnal Breaking News) 

In an interview to Haryana Breaking News on the day BJP announced tickets to its councilors, Renu Bala refuting the claim of any infighting within the party over ticket allocation, said, "In terms of Swachta we've taken Karnal from 124 to 7th position in India. We'll take it to number one if elected to power. Under the guidance of Hon'ble CM from last four years we've approved many colonies, provided basic service to citizens and will also make Karnal a Smart City." While independent candidate Asha Wadhwa in a separate interview on the sidelines of her campaigning said, "Renu Bala has support of CM and full Haryana Government but we've love and support of our people. Karnal gave BJP full majority and made MP, MLA and CM but haven't received anything in return. Everyone is saying Kamal ka phool, sabse badi bhool aur kamal ka phool, jisne banaya hame fool, and people are not ready to get fool this time! But I appreciate the state government's step of direct mayoral election this time and around 2.5 lakh citizens will vote for a transparent and corruption free government."

Renu Bala Gupta during an interview to this writer
(Screen grab from Haryana Breaking News)

Asha Wadhwa during an interview to this writer.
(Screen grab from Haryana Breaking News )

Karnal, being the assembly constituency of Khattar, as per the experts, will witness anti-incumbency along the party lines. Locals are angry about the “worst roads in the history of district under the BJP rule.” Poor management in Kalpana Chawla Medical College and Hospital and non completion of several major projects in district, are the major issues but BJP is confident over its achievements at Swatchta Sarvekshan in Swatch Bharat Abhiyan and development works done by the state govt. According to a report published in The Tribune, it will not be a cake walk for BJP as its candidate is fighting a united opposition and Chief Minister along with his cabinet will make all efforts to ensure the victory of the party candidate with a big margin.