Project Abhay as next CM candidate, says Pehowa MLA

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, May 19

Former Agriculture Minister and Pehowa MLA Jaswinder Singh Sandhu has said the time has come to allow Abhay Chautala to take the reins of the party.

Sandhu told The Tribune on Saturday that the conviction of INLD president and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and his elder son Ajay Chautala may not be able to lead the next state elections due to serious legal complications.

“I am of the firm opinion that the party should give a serious thought to strengthening the political role of Abhay. He has emerged as a strong leader and the Ellenabad MLA should be projected as the chief ministerial candidate by the alliance of the INLD and the BSP,” he said.

Sandhu said after Ajay was jailed, Abhay had successfully taken over the responsibilities of the Chautala clan and the party affairs.

However, Sandhu said Chautala, who is undergoing a jail term in the JBT teachers’ recruitment scandal, would take the final call on who would lead the party.

Meanwhile, a political analyst said signs of division in the Chautala clan were observed after OP Chautala and Ajay were jailed for 10 years. “It will be interesting to see how the party and its leaders react to the first voice for a change of leadership of the INLD,” he said.

He said there is speculation whether Chautala or Ajay would be able to contest the next elections.

“Chautala has been talking of himself leading the party in the next Assembly elections. Even the INLD is officially maintaining that OP Chautala will be the chief ministerial candidate,” said the analyst.

“Chautala is the strongest leader and a regional party like the INLD is run as per the wish of the top leadership. Party leaders and activists are loyal to both brothers and they want to see them to get more prominence,” said an observer.