Farmers Movement Archive

Ellenabad bypolls: Ajay, Abhay Chautala hit out at each other

Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) national president Ajay Singh Chautala and his estranged younger brother Abhay Singh Chautala, who is seeking a fourth straight term on the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) ticket slammed each other as campaigning turned fierce for the Ellenabad bypoll, which is scheduled for October 30.This is for the first time that Ajay has started election canvassing against Abhay after forming JJP after the festering family feud resulted in vertical split of INLD in 2018. In the 2019 assembly elections, Ajay had not campaigned against Abhay.While campaigning at a village in Ellenabad constituency, Ajay slammed Abhay for resigning from the Haryana assembly and forcing people to go for bypoll in just two years.“Abhay resigned from the Haryana assembly amid the farmers’ protests against the Centre’s three farm laws with an aim to become the tallest leader of farmers. He had claimed that he will not enter the Vidhan Sabha until the farm laws are repealed. Has that happened? Abhay forced people to go for elections in just two years,” he said.“In the 2019 assembly elections, we (Ajay’s family) did not campaign against him because senior Chautala saab asked the voters to elect Abhay. Now, Abhay has forced the 86-year-old leader (father OP Chautala) to board a specially designed chariot and seek votes,” he added.“Abhay had claimed that he will not campaign in the bypolls but now three generations of his family (Abhay) are visiting door-to-door to seek votes,” the JJP chief added.Making a direct attack on Abhay, Ajay said he had given their parent party (INLD) to his younger brother, 20 MLAs with a voting percentage of 27%.“In the 2019 elections, the INLD had reduced to one MLA with nearly 1.8% vote share and this happened due to the ego of one man (Abhay). If he loses, people will say ‘ek thi INLD’. The voters of Haryana had given 10 seats with 17% vote share in 2019 assembly polls to a young boy (Dushyant Chautala), who had formed a party nearly a year ago and is working hard to fulfil his promises being listed in the manifesto,” Ajay added.Ajay’s uncle Rajnit Singh, who is jails and power minister of Haryana and his cousin Aditya Devi Lal, BJP’s Sirsa district chief, are campaigning against Abhay in the Ellenabad bypolls.Meanwhile, countering the allegations of JJP chief and his elder brother Ajay, INLD nominee Abhay said he had resigned from the state assembly after hearing the voice of farmers.“Some people (referring to Ajay) who were seeking resignation of Gopal Kanda (the then Haryana minister) in connection with an air hostess’ suicide case, are canvassing for his brother (BJP nominee Gobind Kanda) who is facing many serious charges,” he added.“The BJP and Congress did not have candidates and brought parachute nominees into the fray. This battle is being fought by farmers against the BJP and Congress, who were behind in bringing these three laws,” he said.

Hindustan Times

21-10-2021

Chandigarh