Chautala's legacy now with Abhay, hopes of family unity fade

The death of Om Prakash Chautala, the former five-time Chief Minister of Haryana, on December 20 has left his supporters disheartened, as their hopes for family unity seem to have been shattered. Though the Chautala family came together at their farmhouse in Teja Khera village for rituals from December 22 to December 30 following his death, the distance between his two sons Abhay and Ajay was palpable.

Both Abhay and Ajay's families participated in the ceremonies, but they maintained a noticeable distance from each other. Abhay, along with sons Karan and Arjun, took charge of ritual duties, including prayers and immersion of Chautala's ashes, while Ajay's sons Dushyant and Digvijay appeared only during mourning ceremonies, primarily receiving guests.

Their sons, too, seemed aloof. The final blow to the hopes of a united Chautala family came on December 31, during the 'pagdi' ceremony, where Abhay was formally declared the successor of Om Prakash Chautala. This marked a shift in the political power within the family, leaving little room for reconciliation between the brothers.

On December 31, the only leader who suggested the two come together was farmer leader Rakesh Tikait. Other leaders agreed that Abhay should lead the INLD and carry forward Chautala's legacy.

As per a source from the Chautala family, the future of the INLD now seems to rest on Abhay and Arjun, an MLA from Rania. The responsibility of reviving the party's fortunes largely falls on their shoulders, particularly in light of the struggles the party has faced in recent years.

Meanwhile, Ajay's sons have been focusing on rebuilding their career with the JJP, which has been struggling after splitting with the BJP.

Once a force to be reckoned with, the JJP saw a major downfall in the 2024 Assembly poll. The party, which had achieved a significant breakthrough in 2019 by securing 10 seats and forming an alliance with the BJP, failed to win even a single seat in the elections. Dushyant and Digvijay, both defeated in their respective constituencies, now face the uphill task of reviving their party.