Abhay Chautala with other INLD leaders during a press conference. (Photo by Jasbir Malhi)A day after indicating that it might snap the poll alliance with the INLD in case the Chautalas fail to join hands again, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tuesday said that now the ball was in the court of the Chautala family. Meanwhile, the INLD’s state executive will meet in Chandigarh on Wednesday to discuss the emerging political scenario.
“If they (INLD) want an alliance, Chautalas should join hands again. Now the entire matter depends on Chautala family,” said Haryana BSP incharge Dr Meghraj Singh in Rohtak where he had come to attend state unit meeting of the BSP.
Haryana BSP president Prakash Bharti told The Indian Express that he had discussed the matter with INLD leader Abhay Chautala Tuesday. According to Bharti, Chautala said they have already initiated efforts to unite the family.
Abhay was not available for comments, however, his nephew Digvijay Chautala made it clear that there was no question of returning to the INLD. “At family level, we are united but politically, we have formed a party (JJP) after being expelled from the party (INLD),” says Digvijay. Digvijay is younger brother of Lok Sabha MP Dushyant Chautala, who had formed Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) two months back after a split in the INLD.
“There was no problem in the INLD when both parties had reached to an alliance (last year). There was a feeling that the alliance will form a government in Haryana. But one more party JJP has been formed by the Chautala family. Because of a split, neither JJP candidate nor the INLD candidate could win Jind bypoll. This situation has entirely benefited the BJP,” said Meghraj while speaking to the mediapersons in Rohtak Tuesday.
The BSP leader pointed out that the INLD-BSP alliance candidate Umed Redhu, who is Vice Chairman of Jind Zila Parishad, could secure just about 3,400 votes in the Jind Assembly bypoll while the BSP candidate alone was voted about 13,000 votes in Jind (in 2014 polls).
According to the BSP leader, even Redhu independently had secured about 8,000 votes in the Zila Parishad member poll. “Our national president feels that if they (Chautalas) contest next election separately, then certainly, it will be an advantage for the BJP,” said Meghraj Singh.
On the other hand, JJP Haryana unit president Nishan Singh said that all options are open for their party for electoral alliance with like minded parties to defeat BJP and Congress in Haryana. Singh also said that the politics of BSP has been for the welfare of downtrodden communities.
Speaking to The Indian Express, INLD Haryana unit president Ashok Arora said that they were still keen for an alliance with the BSP. “Our alliance with the BSP was not limited for just one election. We want to contest Assembly as well Lok Sabha election in alliance with the BSP. However, they (BSP) have to take call whether they wish to continue the alliance. From our side, we have a solid alliance,” said Arora.
