Crucial day for INLD as Ajay, Abhay to hold parallel meets
Abhay to address workers in Chandigarh; Ajay to hold rally in Jind; Naina hints at formation of a separate party, says ‘there will be a new flag’
CHANDIGARH/SIRSA: Saturday could turn out to be crucial for Om Prakash Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) as his two sons, Abhay and Ajay Chautala, hold parallel gatherings at Chandigarh and Jind respectively. The events will be a test of strength for both.
Also, it will decide the future course of action for Ajay Singh group. Since Ajay and his two sons, Dushyant and Digvijay, have been expelled from the INLD by the party chief, OP Chautala, they virtually stand alienated from the INLD.
Abhay, who is the leader of opposition, will steer a meeting of state executives of the INLD at Chandigarh. His elder brother, Ajay, who was expelled from the party on November 14 for trying to run a parallel party set up, will hold a workers’ meeting at Jind. The two events will determine the strength of both the factions.
Initially Ajay had announced to hold a public meeting at Jind but later convened a meeting of the INLD’s state executives in his capacity as state general secretary. However, his move to hold a party executive meeting was pre-empted by his father who expelled him on Wednesday.
The Ajay group is trying to get senior party leaders and MLAs for their Jind show while Abhayled INLD is confident that most of the party MLAs, except Ajay Singh’s wife and Dabwali MLA Naina Singh Chautala; Uklana MLA Anoop Dhanak and Dadri MLA Rajdeep Phogat, will attend the meeting at Chandigarh.
NAINA HINTS AT NEW POLITICAL OUTFIT
The Ajay group has also indicated that they may announce formation of a new political outfit at Jind. His wife, Naina Chautala, hinted at Ellenabad on Friday that a new flag will be heralded at Jind.
She was addressing Hari Chunari Chaupal at Jamal village of Ellenabad constituency, which is considered a stronghold area of INLD leader Abhay Chautala. She said that all the decisions will be taken after the Jind meeting.
On a question about Dushyant, the Hisar MP, contesting for the chief minister’s post in Haryana, Naina said, “I am a mother and will give my blessings that he (Dushyant) becomes the CM of Haryana, but his fate will be decided by the people.”
She further said, “No one can become the CM directly coming out from the bedroom. One has to reach out to the voters and redress their problems, which I think Dushyant has been doing in his area.”
‘SOME LEADERS RESORTING TO GUNDAGARDI’
Without naming Abhay Chautala, the Dabwali MLA said that some INLD leaders are showing “gundagardi”, which doesn’t work in the 21st century and that they don’t fear anyone.
Talking to mediapersons, Naina said, “When my sons and husband have already been expelled from the party, then why the delay in expelling me too as I am also addressing different programmes in Haryana.”
‘MLAs BEING STOPPED FROM REACHING JIND’
She further alleged that some top INLD leaders are under so much fear that they have taken the MLAs to some unidentified place to bar them from reaching the Jind meet on November 17. “For how many days will the MLAs stay hidden? They will have to face the public soon and will have to answer what they’ve done for the people.”
Dushyant and Digvijay were expelled by INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala from the primary membership of the party on November 2. They were accused of indiscipline, hooliganism and spreading disaffection within the party during the birthday celebrations of their greatgrandfather Devi Lal on October 7. Ajay Chautala was expelled on November 14, allegedly at the behest of Ajay’s younger brother Abhay Chautala, who is leader of opposition in Haryana assembly and is steering the party in the absence of OP Chautala and Ajay.