The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is fighting for survival after facing a split in December. Jailed INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala’s grandsons, Hisar Parliament member Dushyant and his brother Digvijay, revolted and floated the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP). This dealt a blow to the party, which has been out of power in Haryana for 14 years.

Chautala and his son, Ajay, cannot contest the elections after their conviction in a recruitment scam in January 2013. They are serving a 10-year term in Tihar Jail.

The split took place when the party under the command of Chautala’s younger son, Abhay, was hoping to put up a better performance in the national and state polls in 2019.

For the two factions, the elections are about proving who the rightful inheritor of late former deputy Prime Minister Ch Devi Lal’s legacy is. Lal founded the INLD.

An INLD leader, who did not want to be named, said their first enemy is the JJP and target is to do better than it. “We aim to get maximum Jat votes which are divided between the INLD, JJP and Congress at present. If we do well, it could nudge the BJP to form an alliance with us in the future.”

The INLD’s vote share was 24.4% and 24.1% in the 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly elections. In the 2009 parliamentary election, the party’s vote share was 15.6% and 22.4% in 2004.

Polling for Haryana’s 10 Lok Sabha seats will be held on May 12.

The INLD has struggled to field 10 candidates. Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is a close friend of Chautala, tried unsuccessfully persuade the BJP to ally with the INLD.

The INLD hopes to retain Sirsa and manage maximum votes in Kurukshetra, where Abhay’s son, Arjun, has entered the fray for the first time.

A member of the INLD think tank said, “The worst is over. Now, wait for the upswing.”

An aide to Abhay said: “Chautala is not perturbed at all. He says the party has seen such setbacks in the past and emerged stronger. Such desertions also took place when Devi Lal was the boss and later when Chautala was in full command.”

Congress leaders such as Raghuvir Singh Kadian, Anand Singh Dangi, Dharam Vir and Jai Parkash, who is now an independent MLA, and Sampat Singh began their political careers in the INLD.

“This split has offered an opportunity for the new generation. The INLD is used to destruction from within,” said an INLD leader.

Chandigarh’s Panjab University political science professor, Ashutosh Kumar, said the churning in the Chautala clan is a typical family feud. “More than the legacy of Devi Lal, the fight is over business, resources, funds, properties, party offices, manpower,” he said. “There is nothing ideological about the INLD and JJP. Both are trying to stake claim over Jat leadership in multipolar politics of Haryana.”

INLD workers are concerned about Chautala’s weaker position. Ajay was looking after the party before he was jailed.

This role was thrust on Abhay, who was handed down the tough task of rebuilding the party’s base and morale of workers.

First Published: Apr 25, 2019 22:33 IST