M A I N   N E W S

Godara ditches Bansi Lal
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Jan 5 — Mr Mani Ram Godara, a close associate of Mr Bansi Lal, today joined the Indian National Lok Dal. The announcement of his induction into the INLD was announced by the Chief Minister and the INLD chief, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, at a press conference.

Mr Chautala said, he was feeling “elated and happy”, as he (Mr Chautala) claimed himself to be the adopted son of Mr Godara.

Mr Godara, who had a long association with Mr Bansi Lal and was one of the co-founders of the Haryana Vikas Party said, he had decided to join the INLD as this party alone could guarantee a better future for the state.

The former Home Minister, when asked how did he rate the performance of Mr Bansi Lal, retorted, “the performance is judged by the people and the peoples’ judgement is supreme and final”.

With Mr Godara’s exit, the HVP has now been reduced to almost a non-entity.

Mr Chautala said, the INLD would get strengthened with a person like Mr Godara joining it. He termed Mr Godara “the tallest of all leaders now in the INLD. However, Mr Godara has not been given any designation. Because, according to Mr Chautala, such leaders are above party positions.

Mr Godara evaded questions about the constituency from where he will contest the forthcoming assembly elections. He was representing Bhattu Kalan in the dissolved House. In the 1996 poll he had defeated Prof Sampat Singh, who was elected from Fatehabad in the 1998 byelection.

Sources in the INLD said Mr Godara had expressed his keenness to contest from either Bhattu Kalan or Fatehabad. But Mr Chautala wanted him to contest from the Mandi Adampur constituency which has, for the past two decades elected Mr Bhajan Lal or his kin.

Mr Chautala is of the view that Mr Godara alone, can give a tough fight to Mr Bhajan Lal and defeat him. Mr Godara said, he was willingly respect the party’s decision on the issue.