In a setback to the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) of Dushyant Chautala ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has called off its alliance and decided to field candidates on all seats in the State.
The Mayawati-led BSP’s decision to part ways with the JJP came within a month of the two parties announcing to fight the State polls together. The JJP is a breakaway of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) lead by Abhay Chautala.
The BSP said the agreement reached with Dushyant Chautala for the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana is inappropriate in terms of the proposed seat-sharing formula. Party chief Mayawati tweeted to this effect in Hindi, adding that the tie-up is called off.
The party high command has decided to go it alone with all its strength and contest on all the seats, she said in another tweet.
Chautala had last month announced that his party and the BSP would contest the Haryana Assembly polls as allies. He said compromises can be made in alliance politics only to an extent and not at the cost of the workers.
According to the announcement made in August during a joint press conference of Chautala and BSP General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra, the BSP was to contest on 50 seats while the JJP on 40 of the total 90 Assembly seats in Haryana, where polls are due later this year.
In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the JJP had an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) while the INLD had a pact with the BSP.
In a statement, Dushyant Chautala expressed his disappointment and said there must be some compulsion for the BSP to break the alliance. He said in alliance politics, compromises can be made only to an extent and not at the cost of hard working party cadres.
“JJP has believed in strengthening the BSP, its leadership, workers and supporters and gave 40 seats (for contesting polls) to it,” Chautala tweeted. “Our intention has been to give political power and self-confidence to ‘Bahujan Samaj’ and will continue to do so.”
He said the JJP has been strengthening its organisation across the state from the beginning and will contest elections on all 90 seats on the strength of the hardworking and dedicated party workers and will form the Government.
Chautala said the JJP, which was formed after a split in the INLD last year, has been moving forward on the ideals of late Chaudhary Devi Lal and BR Ambedkar.
“After entering into an alliance with the BSP on August 11, our endeavour has been to strengthen farmers and labour class in order to root capitalist forces out of power,” Chautala added.