Nuh (HR), Sep 27 (PTI) Indian National Lok Dal chief Abhay Chautala on Sunday expressed confidence that his party will form the next government in Haryana by ousting the BJP, while the Congress, which he described as the BJP’s “B team”, will also be kept away from power.
He was addressing the ‘Samman Diwas’ rally organised here to mark the 113th birth anniversary of former deputy prime minister and former Haryana chief minister Devi Lal and to commemorate his legacy.
Chautala said people have gathered in large numbers to pay tribute to Devi Lal and send a message about the political change they want in Haryana. He said people came on their own to take part in the rally, which reflected their faith in Devi Lal and his political legacy.
“The message is that the next government in Haryana is going to be formed by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). The BJP is going to be out of power, and the Congress party will also be kept away,” he said.
Recalling the 1989 gathering at Delhi’s Boat Club to mark Devi Lal’s birth anniversary, Chautala said lakhs of people had assembled there back then, with the Opposition also sharing the stage, triggering discussions about the Congress losing power at the Centre and the possible formation of a Janata Dal government.
Chautala said the current gathering, which saw people arriving from across Haryana, was sending a similar message of change in the state.
He said people had decided as early as 2019 that they wanted to remove the BJP government from power; however, some MLAs who had won on the promise of taking forward Devi Lal’s policies later joined the government to serve their own interests.
“When the opportunity came, they mortgaged the policies of Chaudhary Devi Lal and joined the government for their own interests. For four-and-a-half years, they worked to loot this state with both hands,” he alleged.
The remarks were seen as an apparent reference to the then Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leadership led by Dushyant Chautala, whose party formed a post-poll alliance with the BJP to form the government in Haryana in 2019. Dushyant Chautala became the deputy chief minister.
The INLD chief further alleged that in 2024, when surveys were indicating that the Congress was moving towards forming the government in Haryana, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his “company” worked in a manner that helped the BJP retain power.
Chautala accused Hooda of acting under pressure from the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and paving the way for the Congress’ defeat.
He said the INLD, if voted to power, will focus on ending drug abuse and unemployment, providing jobs, curbing corruption and taking action against those involved in corrupt practices.
Chautala also promised to abolish the various “portals” that, he claimed, had caused difficulties for farmers.
“Learn to fight for your rights now, and start preparing for the next struggle,” he exhorted the gathering.
Chautala announced that from November, he and his party will undertake a village-to-village programme across Haryana to thank people and expose the alleged “nexus” between the BJP and the Congress. PTI ADI RUK
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