INLD, BSP to reunite for Haryana polls: ‘Non-BJP, non-Congress parties should…’

INLD and BSP in talks for alliance ahead of Haryana polls, seat sharing discussions ongoing

Published on: Jul 7, 2024, 20:43:35 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) plans to form an alliance with its former partner, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections later this year, the party's state unit chief, Rampal Majra, said on Sunday.

BSP supremo Mayawati and INLD chief Abhay Chautala during a meeting in Delhi on Saturday. (HT Photo) (HT_PRINT)

He said that both parties have agreed in principle to this alliance, with a formal announcement expected on July 11.

Majra said that discussions regarding seat sharing and other alliance details are currently underway. INLD secretary general Abhay Singh Chautala recently met with BSP president Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow on Saturday to discuss various state-related issues.

Majra said that there is a need for all non-BJP and non-Congress parties to unite and support Abhay Singh Chautala, who he described as a strong advocate for farmers and labourers. He added that several such parties are already in contact with INLD.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, both INLD and BSP contested separately in Haryana but performed poorly. The BSP contested nine out of 10 parliamentary seats, while INLD contested seven, with neither party winning any seats. Abhay Chautala, the lone INLD MLA in Haryana, also lost his bid for the Kurukshetra parliamentary seat.

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The BSP ended its alliance with INLD in February 2019 after nearly nine months, during a period when INLD was the main opposition in Haryana. This split came amid internal disputes within the Chautala family. Former MP Ajay Singh Chautala, Abhay Chautala's elder brother, and Ajay's son, Dushyant Chautala, formed the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in December 2018 following the INLD split earlier that year.

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This renewed alliance between INLD and BSP aims to consolidate their voter bases and present a united front against major parties in the upcoming elections. The official announcement on July 11 is expected to detail the seat-sharing arrangements and campaign strategies.

(Inputs from PTI)

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