CHANDIGARH: The son of expelled leader Ajay Singh Chautala alleged Thursday that several INLD legislators were being forcibly kept in a Himachal Pradesh resort by the rival camp members to prevent them from attending the party's upcoming executive meeting.
"I have information that several party MLAs have been taken to a resort near Parwanoo (Solan district) in HP. They are being forcibly kept there. Ten rooms have been rented to accommodate them," Digvijay Singh said.
Asked who had taken the INLD legislators to the resort, Digvijay said, "Everyone knows who wants to prevent them from attending the meeting in Jind (Haryana) called by Dr Ajay Singh Chautala."
He claimed that 80 per cent of party MLAs were with Ajay Singh.
"They (rival camp) may use force to hold them for a day or two, but soon, things will be clear on which side they stand."
The rival camp, led by Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala, vehemently denied the charge.
"There is no truth in these allegations. I also came to know the charge being levelled by Digvijay. None of our MLA has been forcibly kept anywhere. Each one of them is where they wish to be out of their own free choice," INLD spokesperson Praveen Attrey said.
"Such allegations are being made as a face-saving exercise because they (Ajay's camp) know that the MLAs will not turn up for their meeting (in Jind)," he added.
The INLD has called a meeting of the state executive, as well as of MLAs and MPs, in Chandigarh on Saturday.
On the same day, Ajay has called a similar meeting in Jind.
The ongoing feud within the Chautala family had escalated on Wednesday, with INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala expelling his son, Ajay Singh, from primary membership of the party for alleged anti-party activities.
The decision was announced by INLD state president Ashok Arora at a press conference here, called by Ajay Chautala's younger brother and Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Abhay Singh Chautala.
Ajay Chautala, who is serving a 10-year jail term along with his father and former chief minister O P Chautala in a teachers' recruitment scam, is currently out on a two-week parole.
Two weeks ago, the INLD chief had also expelled Ajay's two sons -- Hisar MP Dushyant and his brother Digvijay on charges of indiscipline.
However, Ajay's camp had claimed that O P Chautala had been kept in dark, while claiming that the letter signed by the INLD chief was forged.
On Thursday, Abhay Chautala's camp released copies of the letter signed by O P Chautala, who is lodged in Tihar jail.
"Exposing the malicious propaganda that the expulsion orders of Ajay Singh Chautala from the party post (secretary-general) and primary membership of the INLD were not only not signed by the national president Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala, but that it could not have been signed by him on November 12, 2018, the letter is being released to the print and electronic media," an INLD release said here.
"The letter is not only signed by the national president of the party but also on the date (Nov 12) that was disclosed by the State President of INLD, Ashok Arora, the (Tihar) Jail authorities too have attested the signature of Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala."