In saddle, INLD revival on Abhay Chautala’s mind

Abhay Chautala, the firebrand younger son of former CM Om Prakash Chautala, has formally taken over the reins of the INLD as its national president. The question uppermost in the minds of Haryana watchers is whether an unpredictable and quick-tempered Abhay would be able to revive the party that has fallen on bad days post-2019 Assembly polls.

Boasting of the illustrious legacy of Devi Lal, the INLD is passing through its worst phase in its political history, with just two MLAs in the 90-member Assembly. This is quite a climbdown for the party that was once a force to reckon with in the caste-ridden Haryana politics, having formed the government thrice (1977-1979, 1987-1990 and 1999-2005). It has been the main Opposition several times — more recently, during 2014-2019.

Abhay, however, exudes confidence, claiming that the INLD was on the revival path, and there was a lot of scope for non-BJP, non-Congress politics in the state.

“Currently, there is no Opposition in Haryana as the Congress has failed to perform that role. People are looking forward to the INLD to play the role of a constructive Opposition which could expose various acts of omission and commission of both the BJP and the Congress," he pointed out.

The party, he said, would organise a massive outreach programme to ‘win back’ disgruntled party leaders. “A large number of senior leaders, who left the INLD, are now feeling suffocated in other parties. Attempts are on to bring them back to strengthen the party organisation," he said.

However, 2025 is not 2005. Much water has flown down the Yamuna since. The regional parties are on the decline and bipolar politics has emerged in Haryana (since 2019). The BJP and the Congress are competing for power. The revival of INLD will not be a cakewalk.

To top it all, a vertical split in the party, resulting in the birth of the JJP in 2018, has shrunk the party’s support base, comprising primarily of Jats and Scheduled Castes.

The shifting of these two dominant sections (comprising nearly 45% of the state electorate) to the BJP, the Congress and the JJP delivered a body blow to the INLD, making its comeback even more tough. A direct offshoot of the split, the INLD was virtually decimated in the 2019 Assembly polls, winning one seat, and Dushyant Chautala-led JJP emerging as the kingmaker to cobble together an alliance with the BJP.

Be that as it may, an indefatigable but ageing Abhay (62) has ambitious plans for the INLD. Besides Haryana, Abhay has also named state unit chiefs in several states, including UP, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh.

A strong votary of the ‘Third Front’, like his father OP Chautala and grandfather Devi Lal, Abhay still believes alliance with smaller parties could be a game changer in Haryana politics.

With rampant factionalism in the Congress, his strategy is to occupy the Opposition space in the 2029 polls, which is currently held by the Congress. He endeavours to accomplish it by forming alliances with smaller parties and a possible ‘reunion’ or strategic alliance with the JJP.

Want to play role of constructive Oppn

“Currently, there is no opposition in Haryana as the Congress has failed to perform that role. People are looking forward to the INLD to play the role of constructive Opposition that could expose various acts of omission and commission of both the BJP and the Congress."

— Abhay Chautala, INLD president

Haryana Tribune