As the campaigning for the Karnal byelection ended on Thursday, Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini is all set to face his first test after being chosen as the chief minister of Haryana in March.
Saini, also state president of the BJP, is taking on Congress’ district coordinator Tarlochan Singh. Voting for the bypoll will take place consecutively with the Lok Sabha polls on May 25.
The seat fell vacant after former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar resigned on March 13 to accommodate the newly inducted CM, Saini. Days later, the election schedule was announced.
However, the decision to hold the bypoll was challenged first before the Punjab and Haryana high court and then in the Supreme Court only to be dismissed by both.
During the 2019 assembly elections, Khattar had won from this Punjabi-dominated seat with a margin of 45,188 votes, polling 79,906 votes (63.72%) in his favour, while his nearest rival candidate, Congress’ Tarlochan Singh got 34,718 votes (27.68%).
Even in 2014, when Khattar was contesting his first-ever electoral fight, he polled 82,485 votes (58.81%) against 18,712 (13.3%) votes by Independent candidate Jai Parkash Gupta. The margin was 63,773. Earlier, Congress’ Sumita Singh Virk represented the seat twice (2004 and 2009).
{{/usCountry}}Even in 2014, when Khattar was contesting his first-ever electoral fight, he polled 82,485 votes (58.81%) against 18,712 (13.3%) votes by Independent candidate Jai Parkash Gupta. The margin was 63,773. Earlier, Congress’ Sumita Singh Virk represented the seat twice (2004 and 2009).
{{/usCountry}}Saini and his wife, Suman Saini, have been focusing on the constituency since March 15, both holding over 800 public meetings, corner meetings, dinner, family events and rallies.
During the initial days, the chief minister was busy canvassing in the state holding 58 public meetings, when his wife aided by former mayor Renu Bala held the camp in Karnal.
Both have been banking on the achievements and policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Khattar in the state.
On every demand put forward by the electors, Saini would ask them to wait till June 4. “After that every single work put forward will be done. This is my guarantee. I’ve already opened the doors of the CM house in Chandigarh for you all. That is your home, not mine,” Saini said at a corner meeting at Sarafa Bazaar market.
On the other side, Singh is depending on the anti-incumbency of the two-time chief minister, highlighting the pending projects under Smart City, unemployment, errors in property IDs and others.
The veteran leader is being accompanied by young and energetic Divyanshu Budhiraja, who is the Lok Sabha candidate against Khattar, apart from nearly all ticket aspirants, including Manoj Wadhwa, Sumita Singh, Bhimsen Mehta and others.