MLA dies, INLD tally 17 now, like Congress

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 19

Nothing appears to be going well for the Indian National Lok Dal, at the centre of a family feud that led to a split, as its tally fell to 17 in the 90-member Haryana Assembly today following the demise of its Pehowa MLA Jaswinder Singh Sandhu.

A former Agriculture Minister, Sandhu (63) was the INLD Deputy Leader in the House. He was seen as one of the few legislators who would play the role of a “pacifier” each time heated exchanges between the INLD and Congress (both in Opposition) threatened to turn ugly. His cremation is slated for tomorrow.

After Sandhu’s death, the INLD is on a par with the Congress in the number game. In 2018, the INLD lost another MLA, Harichand Midha, whose passing away necessitated the Jind bypoll on January 28. 

While the INLD strength is two down since the last poll, the Congress count went up by two after the merger with Haryana Janhit Party.

Though there is no immediate threat to INLD’s Abhay Chautala retaining the post of Leader of Opposition (LoP), any fall in the INLD count or increase in that of the Congress will create a vacancy at that post. If no other bypoll is held, Abhay can hold on to this post, though the only potential threat, sources maintain, could come if INLD MLA and Abhay’s sister-in-law Naina Chautala decides to give up her seat.

Naina, wife of Ajay Chautala and mother of MP Dushyant Chautala, has been vocal in lending support to Jannayak Janata Party, floated recently by her husband after a split with his brother Abhay.

Sources said Abhay was refraining from expelling Naina despite her support to the JPP as it would disturb the critical number game. The latter, too, cannot dissociate from the INLD since she was elected on the party ticket and any such attempt would invite the provisions of the anti-defection law.