Chautala family rift widens as Dushyant floats party
CHANDIGARH: The rift among the political family of the Chautalas in Haryana became official on Sunday as Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala formally launched his Jannayak Janta Party and also unveiled the party’s flag which bears an image of his great-grandfather Chaudhary Devi Lal on a green and yellow background.
After a feud over the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the 2019 Assembly polls, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) patriarch Om Prakash Chautala’s son Ajay had announced last month that he would form a new party which would be led Dushyant.
While Ajay and both his sons have been expelled from the INLD for alleged anti-party activities, his wife Naina is still a member because the 18-member INLD could lose the status of main Opposition party in the Haryana Assembly with her gone.
Naina however, unveiled the new party’s flag in Jind in front of a crowd of thousands on Sunday along with senior leader KC Bangar.
Bangar will serve as the party’s general secretary. The party’s name begins with ‘Jannayak’, a reference to former deputy prime minister Devi Lal. Leaders speaking at the rally vowed to follow his ideals.
According to sources privy to the party’s discussions, Dushyant is likely to head the. He can take up the role and continue to serve as an MP as he expelled from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and had not resigned. There was some concern over the point according to sources.
Wrestler Babita Phogat was also present at the rally and said Dushyant was an icon for the youngsters of the state and that he was not treated properly by the INLD. She, however did not comment on being asked if she was taking to politics.