Ahead of 2019 parliamentary and assembly polls in Haryana, Indian National lok Dal (INlD) has joined hands with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to root out ruling BJP from the State.
With a new slogan “Dalit, Peechde or Kisan, Banayenge Ab Nayi Pehchaan”, leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala on Wednesday announced the INlD-BSP alliance to give “BJP and Congress mukt” government in the state and the country in 2019.
The INlD-BSP alliance, he said, is the foundation of third front under the leadership of BSP supremo Mayawati for 2019 lok Sabha elections. BSP senior leader Meghraj, who is the incharge of party’s Haryana unit was also present at the joint press conference of INlD and BSP to announce the alliance.
Both INlD and BSP were in talks of a possible alliance for 2019 polls, after the Samajwadi Party-BSP combine helped each other beat the BJP in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur bypoll election in Uttar Pradesh last month.
After the SP-BSP victory, Chautala had also met BSP supremo Mayawati to explore a possible alliance of Om Parkash Chautala led INlD and Mayawati’s BSP ahead of next year’s crucial polls.
Chautala had earlier made it clear that the INlD is open to tie-up with an anti-BJP and anti-Congress alliance.
Having lost three consecutive assembly elections in the state, the INlD has been trying for a comeback in the state after being out of power since 2005. The INlD was reduced from its tally of 31 seats out of total 90 in the 2009 assembly polls to just 19 seats in 2014 polls while it won 2 lok Sabha seats out of 10 in general elections.
While the INlD polled 24.43 per cent votes in 2014 lok Sabha polls, the BSP polled 4.60 per cent votes in the state. In 2014 assembly polls, the BSP polled 4.37 per cent votes and won one seat while the INlD got 24.11 per cent votes.
Notably, INlD chief and former Chief Minister OP Chautala along with his son Ajay Chautala are currently serving 10-year jail sentence after being convicted, in teacher recruitment scam in Haryana.
OP Chautala’s younger son, Abhay Chautala is steering the party, which is losing its sheen after being out of power since 2005.
Eyeing 2019 polls, INlD-BSP tie up is looking for consolidation of Jat and dalit vote bank in Haryana.
Jat, a dominant group in the state constitutes around 28 percent of the population. Dalits, the main support base of BSP, made up 19.3 percent of the state’s population compared with a national average of 16.2 percent, according to the 2001 census report.
This is not the first time that the INlD and BSP have joined hands together. Both the parties had tied up in 1998 lok Sabha polls but they parted ways later.
The INlD had in the past formed an alliance with BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). The BSP had in the past formed an alliance with former Chief Minister Bhajan lal’s HJC. However, ahead of the 2009 assembly elections, BSP had split with HJC. HJC has now merged with the Congress.
Abhay Chautala, while talking to the mediapersons about the INlD-BSP alliance said, “The decision on the number of seats to be contested by both the political parties will be taken later. The elections are scheduled next year and this year, the party will focus on various campaigns to raise the issues of farmers, dalits and other sections of the society.”
“The party will launch ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ from May 1 onwards to raise the demand of construction of Sutlej Yamuna link (SYl) canal. The party will also raise the issues of related to the farmers including implementation of Swaminanthan report, Dadupur Nalvi irrigation project, loan waiver among others during the campaign beginning from Bhiwani on May 1,” he added.
The INlD, which is eyeing political revival in Haryana, has been aggressively raising the demand of construction of the SYl canal from the past one year now.
Chautala also lashed out at BJP and Congress accusing them for ruining the state of Haryana in past 14 years.
BSP senior leader Meghraj said that the INlD-BSP alliance is the foundation of third front under the leadership of BSP chief Mayawati.
The BSP leader also announced that party’s lone MlA Tek Chand Sharma has been suspended for anti-party activities.