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Hisar: JJP leader Dushyant Chautala speaks to the media, in Hisar, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (Photo: PTI)
The Haryana Assembly elections are shaping up as a closely contested battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress, with both parties leading on nearly equal numbers of seats at about 45, as per the 10am counting trend on Tuesday. This is also the number required to form a government in Haryana.
JJP-INLD split
The Jannayak Janta Party was formed from a split in INLD in 2018. JJP is led by Dushyant’s father Ajay Singh Chautala, while INLD is headed by O P Chautala, five-time former Haryana chief minister. O P Chautala is Abhay Singh’s father, and Chaudhary Devi Lal, former Deputy Prime Minister of India, was O P Chautala’s father. The split resulted from infighting within the Chautala family.
Both parties aim to uphold Devi Lal’s political legacy but face the threat of extinction in Haryana. Both parties secured less than 2 per cent vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Abhay Chautala’s uncle, 79-year-old Ranjit Chautala, had aligned with BJP and was a minister in the outgoing cabinet. However, he chose to contest independently from the Rania seat after BJP denied him a ticket. “I am Chaudhary Devi Lal’s son. I have some stature… I have decided to contest as an Independent,” he had said.
Ranjit Chautala is trailing in the Rania seat by over 2,000 votes, according to the 10am trends. In this seat, Abhay Singh’s son Arjun Chautala is leading as the INLD candidate.
First Published: Oct 08 2024 | 10:36 AM IST
