'Can't say', Dushyant Chautala on pact with BJP in 2024

Chandigarh, April 8

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“Can’t say what will happen in the future”, Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala said today on continuation of the alliance with the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections.

Don’t know what future holds

The state has progressed under the BJP-JJP government. But what will happen in the future, I can’t say. I am not an astrologer. — Dushyant Chautala, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister

Addressing a press conference, he said since the beginning, the stability of the alliance was questioned. “The present BJP-JJP government has been working for the past three and a half years to take the state on the path of development and the state has progressed. It has shown growth in the GST and excise revenue by 22-23 per cent…But what will happen in the future, I can’t say. I am not an astrologer.” On whether the party would go it alone in the 2024 poll, he said, “On BJP’s foundation day, PM Modi said once the saffron party had just two seats but now it has over 300. No one wants to keep the party’s growth limited. Can we limit ourselves to 10 seats? Will the BJP keep itself to 40 seats? Both parties are working in all 90 seats.”

Dushyant’s statement is at variance with the one he gave in December 2022 when he said the 2024 poll would be contested in alliance with the BJP. On March 25 in Hisar, BJP state president OP Dhankar had hinted at the BJP contesting all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state on its own. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made a statement at a rally in Sonepat that “the lotus will bloom in all 10 Lok Sabha seats” in the state.

The Lok Sabha elections are due in May 2024 while the term of the present Vidhan Sabha is ending in October 2024. On old age pension, Dushyant said he got it raised by Rs 750 even though the party had only 10 MLAs. “If we have 50 MLAs, we will raise it to Rs 5,000”. On the possibility of an alliance with the Congress in the future, he replied, “At present, I am in an alliance with the BJP. I will not think about a second option.”