E-Paper
Reviving INLD may not be piece of cake for OP Chautala
Freedom from the confines of Delhi’s Tihar jail would mean a lot to former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and his beleaguered political outfit, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)
Freedom from the confines of Delhi’s Tihar jail would mean a lot to former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and his beleaguered political outfit, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).
However, will the ageing leader be able to resurrect his “down in the dumps” outfit is a matter of great political interest across party lines. Since his sentencing in 2013, the political dynamics in Haryana underwent a sea of change with new players like the BJP and INLD’s splinter outfit, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) quickly emerging and overwhelming the political landscape.
The octogenarian INLD chieftain was serving a 10-year sentence after being convicted and sentenced by a CBI court in January 2013 for corruption in recruitment of about 3,200 junior basic teachers (JBT) during the INLD rule in 2000.
Special CBI judge Vinod Kumar had convicted Chautala, his son Ajay Singh Chautala, former political adviser to the then CM Sher Singh Badshami, two IAS officers – Chautala’s former officer on special duty (OSD) Vidya Dhar and the then director of primary education Sanjiv Kumar - and 50 others under Sections 418, 467, 471 and 120B of the IPC and Sections 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
However, the 86-year-old ex-CM got a reprieve on Wednesday when he was granted a special six-month remission by the Delhi government, having completed nine years and six months of his 10-year sentence.
PRIME CHALLENGER’S DOWNHILL JOURNEY
In 2013 when Chautala was convicted, INLD was the prime challenger to the ruling Congress, having given the latter a run for its money in the 2009 assembly elections. The INLD was routed in 2005 assembly polls winning just nine seats.
While Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress won 40 seats in 2009 polls in the 90-member assembly and needed support of independents to form the government, the INLD surprised the pundits by winning 31 seats.
In 2009, the party got about 25% vote share as compared to about 35% of Congress. Clearly, Chautala’s graph was spiralling. However, the conviction of Chautala and his elder son in 2013 came as a big setback for the family and the party.
“Many even went to the extent of declaring it the end of the road for INLD. The prospects of decimation stared in our face,” said an INLD functionary.
The party disappointed in 2014 assembly polls by winning just 19 seats with about 24% vote share. Chautala’s younger son, Abhay Singh Chautala became the leader of Opposition as the BJP, for the first time on its own, formed government in Haryana by winning 47 seats with about 33% vote share.
MESS AFTER SPLIT BY DUSHYANT
INLD plunged into a mess before the 2019 elections when Chautala’s grandson and Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala parted ways with the family and INLD to form a splinter outfit - the JJP.
Dushyant’s father Ajay, his MLA mother Naina Singh and younger brother Digvijay also bid goodbye to the INLD.
The JJP won 10 assembly seats in 2019 polls securing a vote share of 14.79% in its debut assembly outing as against 4.9% it got in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The JJP also managed to commandeer a sizeable chunk of the Jat vote bank of the INLD. In comparison, the INLD rolled downhill by winning just one seat and a vote share of about 2.44%.
The shift was evident as the INLD had secured about 24-27% vote share in the previous three assembly polls in 2014, 2009 and 2004.
AGEING WARHORSE’S COMEBACK
While the INLD cadres are celebrating the comeback of their national president with hope and optimism, political analysts are divided on whether the former CM can resurrect the party.
“Age is not on his side. He remains a fighter though. However, there are doubts whether he would have the vigour to work hard,” said a former INLD worker.
Political experts said the fact that Chautala cannot contest elections, being disqualified for further period of six years after his release, will be a big political let down for INLD.
However, the INLD chief, known for his organisational skills, oration and political management, could facilitate re-bonding of party sympathisers and supporters.
“Many who left him to join Dushyant are disenchanted. The stand taken by the JJP regarding the Centre’s three farm laws and its support to BJP has harmed the JJP. Re-entry of the INLD chief may provide an opportunity to the deserters for ‘ghar wapsi’,” said a political watcher.
