INLD to join government
From Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Oct 9 — Mr Ajay Chautala, Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala's son and the INLD MP from Bhiwani, is likely to be the party representative in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ministry.

Party sources told TNS that the INLD had decided to join the NDA government and its probable representative was Mr Ajay Chautala who is said to be the senior-most leader among the five MPs.

They said he had been in active politics for the past two decades and had served as an MLA in the Rajasthan Assembly for two terms. Although there were three other MPs from the INLD who had been re-elected for the second time, yet Mr Ajay Chautala's career was longer than theirs.

Mr Om Prakash Chautala has reportedly been "motivated by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to join the NDA government to facilitate a similar arrangement in Haryana". Mr Vajpayee in one of his election rallies at Fatehabad on August 20 had put a condition that the BJP would join Mr Chautala's government only when, the INLD joined his government at the Centre.

Mr Chautala had told party leaders that it was natural for the INLD to join the NDA government, as the party had fought elections as part of the NDA.

The alliance between the INLD and the BJP had proved successful.

Before going for the Assembly elections in the state, Mr Chautala wants the BJP to join his government.