Chautala, Hooda trade charges over helping the BJP in Haryana

INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala. File
| Photo Credit: Akhilesh Kumar

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) national president Abhay Singh Chautala on Thursday accused former Congress Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda of acting at the behest of Bharatiya Janata Party to deny his party’s coalition with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leading to saffron party’s third consecutive win in Haryana.

Mr. Hooda, however, denied the allegations saying the INLD had, in fact, always acted as the “B team” of the BJP and the people of the State knew this truth.

Mr. Chautala had made the comments at a press conference following a meeting with the party’s senior leaders to discuss the expansion of the organisation.

In an obvious reference to corruption cases against Mr. Hooda, Former Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Chautala, alleged that he had joined hands with the BJP to avoid going to jail and betrayed the people of the State. He said the former Chief Minister fielded weak candidates in 16 assembly constituencies on the BJP’s instructions and they all lost. Mr. Hooda also prevented the INLD from joining the INDIA bloc at the behest of the BJP, said Mr. Chautala.

“If the INLD had joined the INDIA bloc, the coalition would not only have won all the ten Lok Sabha seats, but also secured huge majority in the Assembly election,” claimed Mr. Chautala.

In a counter attack, Mr. Hooda said the INLD had fielded all its candidates in consultation with the BJP. Dismissing the charges, Mr. Hooda said the allegations made by Mr. Chautala were a mere expression of his frustration as his party had lost the political ground in the State.

Mr. Chautala said he would visit all villages across the State in two phases after the organisation set up of the party was put in place by the month-end. The party also decided to celebrate late Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s birth anniversary as “Karyakarta Diwas” on January 1 every year.