Will provide employment opportunities if elected

The Congress has selected Divyanshu Budhiraja (age 31), a Punjabi, as their candidate against Manohar Lal Khattar (age 70), a fellow member of the Punjabi community. In addition to holding the office of NSUI state president from 2017 to 2021, Budhiraja presided over the Punjab University Students’ Council from 2014 to 2015. He is seen as being close to former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and has served as the state Youth Congress president since 2021. He was selected ahead of notable individuals such as Chanakya Pandit, Virender Rathore, and Virender Shah, also known as Bulle Shah. In an interview with Parveen Arora, Budhiraja discusses a range of topics, such as obstacles and priorities. Take-outs:

If elected, what would be your top priorities?

I have spent the last seven years campaigning against unemployment, which is a major problem in the nation. Due to my request for a response on unemployment from former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, I have been charged in many offenses. I’ll work to end unemployment and establish initiatives that will create jobs.

Although the BJP declared their candidate more than a month ago, you just learned of your candidacy a few days before to the nomination deadline. How will the delay affect you?

We have plenty of time to campaign since the party announced the candidates’ names at the appropriate time. We’re going to win by a wide margin. Additionally, the Karnal Assembly byelection seat will go to the Congress.

The Congress lacks a district and block level organizational structure, but the BJP has a well-functioning party structure. Is the BJP winning this one?

Not in my opinion. We have many hardworking party organizers and leaders. Each employee and leader will be more productive than the BJP’s “panna pramukh” and other organizational frameworks. BJP officials and workers have publicly expressed their resentment.

In a case, you have been declared an offender. Why did you not show up for court?

When I brought up the state’s unemployment problem, the administration remained silent. I was the subject of a Section 174, CrPC, FIR. It was only after the party announced my candidacy that I learned about the case. I’ve already filed a complaint against the FIR with the high court.

The “outsider” issue is being brought up by the BJP and other parties. How are you going to respond to it?

I’m not a stranger. I’ve been living with members of my constituency. The last four to five years have been spent in Panipat with my family. Khattar is not one of us. He is a Rohtak native.

Regarding Khattar’s tenure, which he is running against you for?

For more over nine years, former chief minister Khattar did little to help Karnal. Regarding inflation and unemployment, he took no action. He was a complete failure and was unable to solve the problems facing laborers, farmers, merchants, and other groups in society.