Elections 98

State:	Haryana
Constituency:	Karnal
Total Votes Polled:	806167
Winner: INC	Bhajan Lal	327750
Runner Up: BJP	I D Swami	275689
Margin: 52061 (16%)

Elections 96

State:	Haryana
Constituency:	Karnal
Total Votes Polled:	829916
Winner: BJP	Ishwar Dayal Swami	338013
Runner Up: INC	Chiranji Lal Sharma	146148
Margin: 191865 (23.96%)

In its entire parliamentary history, the constituency has voted non-Congress only twice, an Independent being chosen one once. In 1980 the runner-up behind the Congress was a Janata Party candidate named Sushma Swaraj. She resurfaced as runner-up again in 1989, but this time on the BJP ticket. Her party for which she has put splendid defence as the spokesperson, finally won the seat in 1996, but with Swami Ishwar Dayal.