10 members of Lal clans in fray, more waiting to take poll plunge

Three of the famous political dynasties in Haryana — Devi Lal, Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal — continue to flex their muscles for the political space in electoral politics of the state with 10 members of these three families having already taken the field in the Assembly elections.

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The lals of Haryana

Devi Lal’s kin: Abhay Chautala, Aditya Chautala and Arjun Chautala from the INLD. Dushyant Chautala and Digvijay Chautala from the JJP. Ranjit Singh as an Independent. Sunaina Chautala is aspiring for an INLD ticket.

Bansi Lal’s kin Shruti Choudhry from the BJP and Anirudh Chaudhry from the Congress.

Bhajan Lal’s kin Bhavya Bishnoi from the BJP. Chander Mohan lobbying for the Congress ticket.

Defending their turfs

The kin of three Lals have been able to carry forward the legacies to the third and fourth generations. Though they don’t seem to be in a position to stake claim for the CM’s post, they have been striving to defend their respective turfs. — Prof SS Chahar, Director, Centre for Haryana studies

The three Lals, who dominated Haryana’s political arena for nearly five decades and served as the Chief Ministers multiple times, have left their respective political legacies for their kin in their respective strongholds.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal’s family members – six of them - have been contesting from various constituencies in Sirsa and Jind districts. In Sirsa district, INLD general secretary Abhay Singh Chautala is contesting to retain the traditional Ellenabad Assembly constituency. Abay’s son Arjun Chautala will make his political debut from Rania Assembly constituency while Abhay’s cousin Aditya Chautala (son of Devl Lal’s younger son Jagdish) has been announced the INLD candidate from Dabwali segment.

The JJP, which is also an offshoot of Devi Lal’s political legacy formed by his grandson Ajay Chautala and his son Dushyant Chautala, is now the rival of the INLD. The JJP has fielded Dushyant, who served as the Deputy CM in Khattar government, from Uchana Kalan Assembly seat in Jind district in an attempt to retain it. Dushyant’s brother Digvijay Chautala is the party candidate from Dabwali segment while Devi Lal’s son Ranjit Singh has also announced to contest as an Independent from Rania Assembly segment.

Two of the family members of former CM Bansi Lal — granddaughter Shruti Choudhry and grandson Anirudh Chaudhry have taken on each other in the family’s traditional Tosham Assembly seat. Shruti – daughter of Surender Singh — has been fielded by the BJP and Anirudh, son of Ranbir Mahendra, is the Congress candidate. Besides, Bansi Lal’s son-in-law Sombir Singh is also lobbying for the Congress ticket from Loharu or Badhra Assembly segments in Bhiwani district.

The BJP has also re-nominated Bhajan Lal’s grandson Bhavya Bishnoi from the pocket borough Adampur segment in Hisar district.

Besides, Bhajan Lal’s elder son Chander Mohan, who has served as the Deputy CM in Hooda-led Congress government, is also striving for the Congress ticket from Panchkula. The granddaughter-in-law of Devi Lal, Sunaina Chautala, is also aspiring for the INLD ticket from Fatehabad Assembly segment.