Dushyant blames BJP for calling off alliance over seat sharing for LS poll

Former Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala accuses BJP of breaking alliance, vows to secure full majority in assembly polls.

Former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Wednesday accused the BJP of unilaterally calling off the Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janta Party alliance in Haryana over sharing of seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll, and vowed to secure absolute majority in the Assembly election.

Amid loud cheers of “CM aaya, CM aaya” (here comes the future Chief Minister), Mr. Dushyant, addressing the Nav Sankalp Rally in Hisar, said the central BJP leadership had offered his party the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat, a Hooda bastion, while the JJP was eyeing the Hisar and Bhiwani-Mahendragarh seats. “When I returned after meeting Nadda [BJP national president J.P. Nadda], I discussed it with our party president. He told me to meet the top BJP leadership and ask them to first fulfil our election promise of providing old-age pension of ₹5,100 a month. I met them [BJP leaders] at 1 a.m. and they assured me to deliberate upon it. But this is what they did,” said Mr. Dushyant, referring to the sudden change of guard in Haryana on Tuesday.

On the future course of action, he said his father and JJP national chief Ajay Chautala will take the decision whether to contest the Lok Sabha poll.

Invoking the Bhagavad Gita to say that “whatever happens, happens for the good”, Mr. Dushyant said, “My will is not broken, morale is not down, and no one can break it.” He said he felt like a “bird freed from its cage” with the “burden off” his chest since being in power brought along several restrictions.

Listing out the “achievements” during his tenure as the Deputy Chief Minister, the Uchana Kalan MLA said he could work for the farmers, the poor and the women because his party was part of the coalition government. “The JJP has always adhered to gathbandhan dharma and fulfilled its responsibility as a coalition partner,” he said.

With just six months to go for the Assembly poll, he urged the party cadre not get misled, and work towards creating an environment in favour of the party. Mr. Dushyant said the party secured 15% votes in the 2019 Assembly poll, just 11 months after it was launched, and would now increase its tally from 10 to 50 MLAs.

He said he is “pained” to see media reports suggesting that the JJP had pulled out of the coalition to eat into the Opposition’s votes. Taking a dig at the five party MLAs missing from the rally, Mr. Chautala said, “Two-three persons have ditched us... they were not trustworthy.”