How JJP could be a spoiler for Cong and INLD ?

Founded in December 2018, Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), an off-shoot of the farmer rights driven Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is giving sleepless nights to Congress and INLD. On atleast 45-50 seats out of 90 assembly seats, JJP is also giving a close fight to the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

Led by former Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala, JJP fought its first election in January 2019, Jind by-poll. Dushyant's brother Digvijay stood second as an independent, supported by the party since its registration was pending with the Election Commission. JJP's splendid debut performance was evident with many leaders braking away from INLD to join the newly formed party.

Parting ways from the party, Dushyant had alleged that his uncle and younger son of party supremo Om Prakash Chautala, Abhay Singh Chautala misbehaved with him on many occasions. Dushyant's father, Ajay Chautala is in jail for JBT scam with OP Chautala. Dushyant grew from youngest MP to one of the senior leaders of the party taking forward the legacy of Former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal, on whose name and ideology the party stands.

Dushyant's younger brother, Digvijay, who has been critical of his uncle and targets him on several occasions, is silent. Party leaders say even Dushyant has tried to change himself, doing a makeover. However, Digvijay is not contesting this time. "I'm telling you, one day Digvijay will challenge his elder brother. He won't remain silent for a long time. He is a student leader and has made his position himself," said a senior journalist from Karnal.

Unlike others, the party has promised direct elections to students' body every year and 75 percent reservation for local youth in jobs in its manifesto. It has also promised old-age pension, unemployment allowance and scrapping of crop insurance policy. 

THE GOHANA DISPUTE

To commemorate the birth anniversary of party founder Chaudhary Devi Lal, INLD celebrates a state-level event every year. At such an event in Gohana last year in September, party cadres allegedly from Indian National Students' Union (INSO) heckled the speech of OP Chautala and Abhay Chautala and shouted slogans in favor of Dushyant and Digvijay. Many called for Dushyant to be the next chief minister.

Senior party leaders including Abhay Chautala alleged that Digvijay staged the drama at the rally to embarrass his grandfather and uncle. The war of words erupted from both sides with Dushyant's mother Naina Chautala also jumping in rescue of her son. Subsequently, the rebels were expelled from the party. 

EXPERTS SPECULATION

Talking on the issue, Mamta Narwal, associate professor at Rohtak's Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) said, "I've heard that it was not politics but a property dispute that led to the bifurcation. Yes, Dushyant wanted to be the CM, but the property dispute is the bigger factor. It reflected later on that how JJP captured the district offices."

"We can't deny that JJP has no mass base on the ground, but I believe it is not on second position, atleast better than INLD," Narwal, who is originally from Panipat, said in an interview.

"JJP is almost absent in North Haryana. It has given a physiological dent to INLD. His party is popular among kisaan and jawaan. But I believe Dushyant is not a personality cutting across the caste line, he is popular only among Jaat peasantry and youth," Kushar Pal, Head of the Department of Policial Science at Karnal's Dyal Singh College said. "Congress has gained in the last few days of campaigning but you can't deny the scope of JJP in rural areas."