Abhay faces a battle of survival
KARNAL : This election appears to be a battle of survival for Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Singh Chautala, who is staring at a wipeout of his party following desertions by its several leaders and shrinking vote bank.
After a split in the Chautala family and the INLD, which led to the formation of Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in December last year, Abhay was entrusted with the responsibility of revival of the party, which is going through its worst phase since its formation in 1996. The INLD vote share in the Lok Sabha elections fell below 2% from 24% in 2014 assembly polls.
Abhay entered the political arena in 2000 by winning from Rori Assembly seat with a huge margin. Ironically, Abhay’s rise in Haryana politics began with the downfall of the INLD in 2013, when his father and INLD supremo OP Chautala, and elder brother Ajay Chautala were awarded 10-year jail in the JBT recruitment scam. In the absence of senior Chautalas, the reins of the party came in Abhay’s hands and he became the leader of opposition in 2014.
Abhay worked restlessly to strengthen the party and somehow managed to keep its leaders, workers and supporters intact till October 7, 2018, when the rift between Abhay and his nephew Dushyant came to the fore in a rally at Gohana, leading to expulsion of Dushyant from INLD.
JJP ABHAY’S NIGHTMARE
The split in the Chautala clan was already a big setback for Abhay and two months later he received another jolt, when Dushyant, along with his father Ajay, and a group of INLD MLAS, leaders and workers, formed JJP leaving him helpless, less than a year before assembly elections.
The setback came at a time when the INLD was eagerly waiting for a bounce-back after remaining away from power for the past 15 years. In the wake of the split, Abhay was the biggest sufferer as he was being considered as chief ministerial candidate of INLD.
CHALLENGE FROM NEPHEWS
Abhay’s estranged nephews Dushyant and Digivijay, who made the INLD their main target for poaching, have become a big challenge for him. “They knew everything about the party very well. Their strength came from the INLD’S weakness. The JJP has taken away more than 50% of its leaders and workers from INLD,” said a former party leader.
BUMPY ROAD AHEAD
Talking to HT, Abhay claimed that the INLD will bounce back and form the next government in Haryana as the people are fed up of the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress is reeling under internal differences.
However, the fact is that the INLD was forced to forge an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, the opponent of the Sutlejyamuna Link (SYL) canal.
Political observers say the INLD formed this alliance to get votes of the Sikh community, so that it could at least protect its home seats in Sikh-dominated Sirsa district.
Many INLD leaders left the party raising questions over the working style of Abhay, but in political circles he is still known as man of his words.
Though many veteran leaders of INLD, including Ashok Arora, KC Bangar, Rampal Majra, have left the party, Abhay is still hopeful of a comeback. “Being a follower of Devi Lal, I do not have any grudge against those who left us. The INLD is a nursery and has produced so many leaders. I am confident that the party will make a comeback and will form government,” Abhay said.