Dushyant Chautala, kingmaker if not the king

New Delhi: The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) has emerged as a third force in Haryana as results for the Assembly polls came in on Thursday. With the party securing at least 10 Assembly constituencies, it may emerge as one of the key factors in formation of the new government.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party falling short of half-way mark in the 90-member House, it is learnt that party is in touch with several of these newly-elected MLAs.
However, it is also understood that the BJP is trying to woo several newly elected independent MLAs for possible post-poll alliance.

JJP chief, Dushyant Chautala, has proved that he is a force to reckon with in the state, with the chance that he could even play the kingmaker.

The party, formed in December 2018, is understood to have banked on its strong and influential Jat vote bank.

Last year, the INLD split between Dushyant’s father Ajay Chautala and uncle Abhay Chautala — the two sons of Om Prakash Chautala. Ajay Chautala and his father are serving a jail term in connection with a teachers’ recruitment scam during the INLD tenure.

The young and energetic leadership of Dushyant Chautala, led his party from the front and ensured that it emerged as a viable alternative that has a future in the state politics.

The JJP worked on the belief that a repeat of recent Lok Sabha polls defeat would not be possible. The alliance of the JJP with the Aam Aadmi Party in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year had proved to be a disaster, where it had to suffer a humiliating defeat, being unable to secure even a single seat.

The party was confident that the situation before October 2018 and after was different as over 80 percent of Chaudhary Devi Lal loyalists have returned to the JJP fold, sources claimed.

The party was forced to contest the Assembly polls alone after its much-touted alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party fell through just days ahead of the voting day. However, the failure to get into an alliance has seemingly turned into a boon for the party as it emerged as a force to reckon with in the future.

The results of the Haryana Assembly elections may have settled the debate on the legacy of former deputy prime minister and Jat stalwart Devi Lal in the favour of his great grandson Dushyant Chautala.

As counting progressed, Chautala, 31, remained non-committal on which of the two main parties his JJP will support in case of a hung House.

“It is too early to say anything. We will first summon a meeting of our MLAs, decide who would be our leader in the House and then take it further,” he told reporters.

The parent Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), headed by Dushyant Chautala’s grandfather Om Prakash Chautala and uncle Abhay Chautala has been trumped by the breakaway party.