As the campaign of Indian National lok Dal had picked momentum, the Delhi High Court order directing Om Prakash Chautala to surrender at Tihar Jail has come as a blow to the prospects of the party.
Chautala knew that it was coming. He was out on bail on health grounds but was addressing political rallies in violation of the bail conditions.The INlD was gaining political ground for the October 15 Assembly elections in Haryana as the crowds at its rallies had started swelling ever since Chautala started addressing them. He addressed dozens of rallies across Haryana in the past fortnight.
The former Chief Minister is serving a 10-year prison term after his conviction in a teachers’ recruitment scam by a CBI court in Delhi in January last year. He was later granted bail by the Delhi High Court after he pleaded that he was undergoing medical treatment at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon.
The High Court order came on a petition filed by an individual who pointed out that Chautala was blatantly violating bail conditions. The CBI also pleaded before the court that Chautala’s bail be cancelled.
Soon after the court orders, INlD leaders blamed BJP for misusing CBI. “like Congress, BJP too has misused the CBI”, alleged Abhay Singh Chautala, MlA son of the INlD chief. Abhay, who addressed five rallies in a day at Maham, Hansi, Narnaund, Assandh and Gharonda on Friday alleged that BJP was taken aback with the immense response to the rallies of Chautala.
He added that BJP has made desperate attempts to prevent INlD Chief from meeting the people of Haryana. But when it failed to control, it started mischievous methods.Chautala had succeeded attracting massive crowd in his poll rallies, meetings and road shows with in short span of time and put energy in the demoralised party works to pick the poll momentum across Haryana.
Chautala addressed his first poll rally on the eve of birth anniversary of Chaudhary Devi lal at Jind under the supervision of a team of doctors, in which a huge crowd poured in. He continued his rallies, meetings and road shows without break across the state.
An emotional Chautala asked his voters to vote him for him for one last time. “I am ready to take oath in jail for you”, he said, a statement which was condemned by all political parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.After the response, political observers said it was a fight between BJP and INlD in the state and ruling Congress was at third position.
After the court verdict sending Chautala back to Tihar Jail, senior leaders of INlD have started asking voters to give befitting reply to the opposition parties by pressing the button of “spectacle” on poll day.“In UPA rule, BJP used to raise voice against congress for misusing CBI, and termed it as ‘Congress Bureau of Investigation’ now, BJP too has started the same”, said Abhay.He added “Both the Congress and BJP are extremely nervous due to growing popularity of INlD”.