Chautala clan’s political struggles: A legacy in crisis

Once dominant in Haryana, Chautala family grapples with internal rifts and diminished influence ahead of assembly polls.

Once the powerhouse of Haryana politics, the Chautala clan, descendants of the late Devi Lal, now finds itself fighting for political survival. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), a party founded by Devi Lal has seen a sharp decline from its former glory, thanks to the split caused in the Chautala family after formation of Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in 2018, led by OP Chatuala’s grandson Dushyant Chautala.

Smashed by the split, INLD managed to win only one seat in 2019, with its vote share plummeting from 24.11% in 2014 to a mere 2.44%. In a desperate bid to regain lost ground in 2024 with the help of Dalit and Jat combine, now the INLD has forged an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), ceding a significant 37 out of 90 seats to its new partner.

The decline of INLD is rooted in a bitter family feud that led to a split in the party. The rift became public during a rally on October 7, 2018, organized to mark the 105th birth anniversary of Devi Lal. Supporters of Dushyant Chautala, the grandson of Devi Lal, demanded his candidature for Chief Minister, leading to a showdown that eventually split the party. Dushyant, along with his father Ajay Chautala, went on to form the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in December 2018, shattering the dreams of his grandfather, OP Chautala, who was aiming for a comeback in the 2019 elections.

Despite being a fledgling party, JJP secured 10 seats in the 2019 Assembly elections, emerging as a kingmaker in a hung assembly. However, Dushyant’s decision to ally with the BJP, despite his supporters voting against it, has cost him dearly. The alliance, which secured him the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, ended abruptly in March 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. This has led to a mass exodus from JJP, with seven of its MLAs deserting the party.

The BJP’s strategy of appointing two non-Jat Chief Ministers in Haryana has further eroded the Chautalas’ influence. The once-dominant Jat community, traditionally loyal to the INLD, is now split between the Congress, INLD, and JJP. The political dynamics in Haryana have shifted, leaving the Chautala family struggling to maintain its relevance.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, both JJP and INLD failed to secure any seats, with the BJP and Congress each winning five of Haryana’s 10 seats. In the Jat-dominated Hisar seat, Congress candidate Jai Prakash defeated three Chautala family members, dealing another blow to the family’s political ambitions.

Even the political observers still believe that a merger between INLD and JJP, could have worked better uniting the worker and voters. But on ground such a merger seems unlikely due to deep-seated animosity within the family. Moreover, Abhay Chautala’s open accusation of Dushyant betraying both his grandfather and party members, underscores the ongoing rift taking it to the next level.

As Haryana approaches the Assembly polls on October 1, the Chautala clan confronts its most formidable challenge yet—attempting to reclaim a legacy that has eroded in a political landscape transformed over the past five years. The BJP’s decision to appoint two non-Jat Chief Ministers has intensified the divide between Jat and non-Jat communities, further complicating the Chautalas’ efforts to regain their former influence.