JJP can now claim Devi Lal’s legacy

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 24

As Haryana voted for a hung Assembly, the 11-month-old JJP holds the key to power. Incidentally, its symbol is also key. With 10 seats, Dushyant Chautala-led party could support either the BJP or Congress and bargain for a lion’s share in Cabinet or ask for Deputy Chief Minister’s post.

With the support base largely drawn from the INLD, the JJP could claim to be a true inheritor of Devi Lal’s legacy. Devi Lal, known as Jannayak, was Deputy Prime Minister in VP Singh government and had served as Haryana Chief Minister twice.

The INLD was reduced to just one seat as only Abhay Chautala won. The party had less than 3 per cent vote share, its lowest ever. “Neither the BJP nor Congress looks to cross 40 seats. The key to power is the JJP,” said Dushyant.

The JJP arrived on the scene after INLD national president Om Prakash Chautala expelled his grandson Dushyant, eldest son of Ajay Chautala, from the party. Dushyant formed the JJP on December 9, 2018. The party fought the first election in the Jind bypoll by fielding Dushyant’s younger brother Digvijay, who was runner-up. In the Lok Sabha poll, the INLD was decimated with less than 2 per cent vote share, but the JJP emerged as a force with 5.41 per cent vote share.

Most MLAs and leaders of the INLD switched over to the BJP. The JJP played smartly and gave ticket to a number of rebels of both the Congress and BJP. The result was that it ended up with 10 seats and the key to power.

The JJP could only claim three MLAs who were part of its core team while the rest of them were defectors from other parties. Devinder Singh Babli, a Congress rebel, defeated state BJP president Subhash Barala from Tohana.

Ram Kumar Gautam, a former BJP MLA who defected to the Congress and fought the 2014 poll as an Independent, defeated Capt Abhimanyu from Narnaund.

Guhla (reserved) MLA Ishwar Singh came from the Congress. Shahbad (reserved) MLA Ram Karan was a long-time INLD man who defeated minister Krishan Bedi by a big margin. Narwana (reserved) MLA Ram Niwas came from the Congress. Barwala MLA Jogi Ram Sihag came from the BJP.

The JJP has a base among Jat voters of Hisar, Jind, Sirsa, Fatehabad and Charkhi Dadri. During the elections, it highlighted local issues. Popular among the youth, the party talked about unemployment, jobs and scams during the BJP regime.

The INLD is in free fall since 2018, when Ajay and Abhay parted ways. Ajay and Om Prakash Chautala are serving jail term after conviction in JBT recruitment scam.