After poll setback, Chautala loyalists want family to unite

The reverses suffered by the Chautala family, who are leading different regional outfits — the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) — has propelled their followers to raise a call for unity.

A workers’ meeting held by former minister Ranjit Singh at the PWD rest house saw supporters demanding that the family unite. They also urged Ranjit Singh to take an initiative in this direction.

Ranjit Singh, accompanied by his wife Indira Chautala, had called the meeting as part of his routine to interact with supporters on the fifth of every month in Hisar. During the interaction, the workers said they were facing a dilemma whom to support. “The outcome of the Assembly elections has indicated that there has been a vacuum in Haryana, which the Chautala family can fill if they join hands. "A divided house will serve no purpose. Its neither good for the workers nor for politics,” they said.

“We have faced enough neglect and humiliation over the years. Ever since the Chautala family got divided, we, as a political force, have been diminishing in the state. The results of the recent Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are a proof,” a worker stated.

As he spoke at length, he got support from about 100 workers.

Talking to the Tribune, Ranjit Singh said, “They have the right to express their sentiments. I am here to interact with them,” he said, refusing to comment on any move for unity of the family.

The INLD, which was founded by Devi Lal and his son, former CM Om Prakash, was a force to reckon with before it split in 2018, when Chautala’s elder son Ajay Singh and his sons Dushyant and Digvijay parted ways and formed the JJP.

Though the JJP made a mark in the 2019 Assembly poll, when it won 10 seats (with 14.9% vote share), the INLD was pushed to margin with just 2.5% votes. The JJP also joined hands with the BJP to form the government and Dushyant became the Deputy CM. The decision turned out to be a disaster for the party.

In the recent Lok Sabha and Assembly poll, the INLD could win just two seats (Dabwali and Rania) in Sirsa district and managed to get a 4.14% vote share, while the JJP suffered a whitewash with below 1% vote share.

Ram Jaat, a Devi Lal loyalist and resident of Bhuthan village in Fatehabad district, said there was a strong sentiment among the loyalists that the family should reunite.

Divided house

• INLD: Om Prakash Chautala, younger son Abhay, cousin Aditya and Ravi Chautala
• JJP: Chautala’s elder son Ajay and his sons Dushyant and Digvijay
• Devi Lal’s younger son Ranjit Singh contested the Assembly poll as Independent with JJP's support, but lost