INLD to show its youth base at INSO rally at Kaithal on Aug 5
KARNAL: The state-level rally of the Indian National Students Organisation (INSO), student wing of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), in Kaithal on August 5, is being seen as an attempt to garner support of the youth ahead of the student union elections in the state.
The rally, in which INSO leaders are claiming bringing thousands of youth aged between 18 and 28, will be a show of strength of Digvijay Chautala, INSO’S national president and younger son of now jailed INLD leader Ajay Chautala.
According to Digvijay Chautala, former Bihar chief minister (CM) Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav; Samajwadi Party’s MP Dharmendra Yadav and Telugu Desam Party MP from Andhra Pradesh Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu will be special guests in the rally and Digvijay’s elder brother and Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala will be main speaker at the rally.
Talking to HT, INSO’S state president Pradeep Deswal said, “About 1 lakh youths of the state will attend this rally to mark the 16th foundation day of INSO and some sportspersons like wrestler Geeta Phogat and Ritu Phogat may also be a part of it.”
LAUNCH DIGVIJAY IN MAINSTREAM?
Although INSO leaders termed the rally as an annual event, this time, it is being seen as an occasion to launch Digvijay Chautala in the mainstream politics ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Digvijay too had said that this will be the biggest ever rally of the INSO. Speculation is that Digvijay might contest the Lok Sabha polls from Bhiwani-mahendergarh seat.
However, Digvijay said, “As of now, I don’t have any plan to contest the Lok Sabha polls and I am just working to strengthen the party on ground.
The rally is our annual event but this time we have taken it to a big level and invited some young politicians of the country,” he told HT.
He added, “But I would do anything for the party and will contest from anywhere, if the party asks me to.”
RALLY AN ATTEMPT TO WOO YADAVS
Since Bhiwani-mahendergarh is dominated by Jats and Ahirs, the invitation to young Yadav leaders like Tejashwi and Dharmender seems an attempt to attract the Yadav youths, who have a considerable vote bank in the Ahirwal region of the state.
Also, Digivijay’s father Ajay Chautala had represented the then Bhiwani assembly segment in 1999, once considered as strong hold former CM late Bansi Lal and his son late Surender Singh, but after Ajay INLD’S candidate could not win from Bhiwani and he had also contested next election unsuccessfully.
INSO TO OPPOSE INDIRECT ELECTIONS
Replying on a question that the government may prefer indirect elections, Digivijay said that no student union was in favour of indirect elections and we will oppose it.
“The BJP had failed to fulfil its promise of student union election on the pattern of Punjab and Delhi,” he added.