INLD slips as voters show little sympathy for Om Prakash Chautala

CHANDIGARH: Many in Haryana thought the presence of INLD chief and four-time chief minister Om Prakash Chautala in the campaigning just before the October 15 voting would change equations in the state. That Chautala's charisma would to some extent undercut the Modi wave, at least in Jat-dominated areas.

However, the INLD chief, who was out on medical bail in the teacher recruitment scam, was sent back to jail by an angry Delhi high court and there was no sympathy among voters either. Reduced to 19 MLAs from 31 in 2009, the Jat party will now be out of power for 15 years, substantially reducing its influence in the state. Its vote share has come down from 25.79% to 24.1% as it has finished second in 41 seats.

Both BJP and Congress branded INLD as a 'goonda party' and many felt its le%aders failed to effectively counter the allegations. The party even failed to retain Uchana, which was represented by Chautala. Its nominee Dushyant Chautala was defeated by Congress-turned BJP leader Birender Singh's wife Prem Lata Singh.

Even INLD's state president Ashok Arora lost the Thanesar seat in Kurukshetra to BJP while another senior leader, Rampal Majra, lost from Kalayat. Both were leading the party after Chautala and his son were jailed in the recruitment scam. Except surviving on its home turfs - Sirsa and Fatehabad - and performing well in the state's only Muslim belt Mewat, INLD failed to open its account in Kaithal, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat and Panipat, the Jat heartland. INLD leaders said a sizable chunk of voters in this election was young and not guided by dynastic politics. They may not have appreciated Chautala's sabre-rattling about taking oath as chief minister from Tihar jail if needed.