Dushyant Chautala launches own political outfit, flag in name of Devi Lal

JIND: Split in the Chautala clan of Haryana was formalized on Sunday with INLD patriarch O P Chautala's grandson Dushyant, who is the party MP from Hisar, launching the Jannayak Janata Party at Pandu Pindara village in Jind district.

Dushyant's father Ajay Chautala had announced his decision to form a separate political outfit last month after giving up all claim to the INLD. Ajay, a former MP, and his sons - Dushyant and party students' wing chief Digvijay - were expelled from the INLD by O P Chautala.

Will waive off agriculture loans, says Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala

Ajay was convicted in the junior basic trained (JBT) teacher recruitment scam in 2013 along with his father and they both were awarded 10-year jail terms. Accompanied by his mother Naina Chautala, an INLD MLA from Dabwali, Dushyant unveiled the new party’s flag that bears an image of his great-grandfather Chaudhary Devi Lal in the middle and includes green and yellow colours in a 3:1ratio. “Our turban colour will remain green as it is connected with Tau Devi Lal. Om Prakash Chautala is our family head, but we didn’t use his photograph and name as he is now head of the other party,” Dushyant said in his address to his supporters, who had gathered in huge numbers in the Jind village.

Criticizing his estranged uncle Abhay Chautala, the Haryana leader of opposition, Dushyant said, “Someone tried to kill me in the chakravyuh (a labyrinth-like military formation), but I broke out of it and escaped the trap.” He also attacked Abhay by calling him Duryodhan.

In his 40-minute speech, Dushyant focused on the new party’s vision and manifesto for the next assembly and Lok Sabha elections. If voted to power, the Hisar MP said his party would waive off loans taken by farmers, provide RO systems in every village, set up a trade commission for entrepreneurs, give old age pension to men older than 58 years and women older than 55 years, reserve 75% government jobs for Haryana residents, launch mobile dispensaries and ensure a law to cap fees in private schools. Former minister and BSP leader Kirpa Ram Poonia and former MLAs Raghu Yadav, Ramkumar Gautam, Banta Ram Valmiki, Krishan Kamboj, Nafe Singh Jundla and Virender Pal Singh were among those present at the rally.