Crisis deepens in INLD as Chautala loyalists claim Dushyant ‘suspended’

: The faction-ridden Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) reeled under intense infighting on Friday, a day after an exasperated and aging party supremo Om Prakash Chautala cracked his whip by dissolving the youth and student wings of the party.

Chautala’s move to reconstitute the national executive and remove two district presidents, besides dissolution of the youth and students wings, is being seen as an attempt to regain firm control over the organisation.

However, party affairs are far from settled, and are shaping for the worse.

A section of the INLD leadership on Friday went about circulating contents of a show-cause notice and a suspension order of Hisar MP Dushyant Singh Chautala from the party’s primary membership for his alleged antiparty activities.

The top leadership of the INLD on the other hand neither confirmed nor denied the initiation of disciplinary action against him.

Leader of the Opposition in Haryana assembly Abhay Chautala on Friday refused to confirm or deny any such development. “I have no information in this regard,’’ Chautala said at a press conference.

His warring nephew Dushyant Chautala too refused to comment on the matter. Dushyant’s more vocal sibling, Digvijay though denied having received any such communication from the party.

Party leaders loyal to Om Prakash Chautala, however, were busy circulating bits and pieces of information about disciplinary

action against Dushyant.

Some of them said that INLD office secretary Nachhatar Singh Malhan had sent the notice to the Hisar MP, citing the latter’s alleged anti-party activities, and also communicating his suspension from the primary membership of the party.

Dushyant is learnt to have been asked to explain his conduct

within seven days.

HT could not independently verify the contents of the notice served to the Hisar MP.

“Initiating disciplinary action against Dushyant is a part of Chautala’s craft to send out a strong message to the defiant youngsters in the party. However, the party chief would not like to go public on this as it does not suit him politically. This would give handle to his political opponents to slight him and fuel the ongoing rift between his two sons,’’ said a party functionary, who did not wish to be named.

TOP PARTY LEADERS REFUSE TO EITHER CONFIRM OR DENY THE DEVELOPMENT