Abhay Chautala’s narrow victory in Ellenabad a concern for INLD: Experts

Deepender Deswal

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Tribune News Service

Sirsa, November 2

The outcome of the bypoll in Ellenabad has stirred a debate on the impact of the farmers’ agitation in political terms. Though the byelection was caused due to resignation by Abhay Singh Chautala in support of the farmers’ demand for the withdrawal of three farm laws, his victory margin got significantly reduced despite the call by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders to vote against the BJP candidate.

Resignation a mistake

It was a mistake by Abhay to tender his resignation which nobody will dare to repeat in future under similar circumstances.— Ram Mehar Singh, Jamal Village

Prominent SKM leaders Rakesh Tikait and Gurnam Singh Charuni had held meetings and road shows in Ellenabad a couple of days before the polling to urge people to “teach the BJP a lesson’ in the bypoll. So much so that Tikait made ample indications in favour of the INLD’s Abhay Singh Chautala, while urging the electorate to “return the favours with additional items to someone who had relied on the Samyukta Morcha at a meeting in Nathusari Chopta village of Ellenabad segment”.

However, Abhay’s margin had narrowed down to 6,730 votes compared to his previous victory of 11,922 votes over BJP nominee Pawan Beniwal. Political experts stated that the poll outcome had shown sharp polarisation of voters for and against the BJP. Evidently, urban voters in Ellenabad voted vehemently for the BJP as its candidate won in three rounds of counting from Ellenabad town.

“Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala’s painstaking efforts in cutting down his uncle to size helped Kanda get votes in rural Punjabi belt and Paintalisa (chunk of 45 villages) as well,” said a political observer, adding that an evident caste polarisation had helped both Abhay Chautala as well as Kanda.

“Caste fault lines make it a direct contest between Abhay and Kanda. Significantly, Abhay has improved his tally of votes. He polled 65,992 votes. He had got 57,055 votes in 2019 in a triangular contest. That’s the reason behind trailing of Pawan Beniwal of the Congress to poor third position, with a mere 20,904 votes,” stated the expert.

The poll experts said the result had been a dampener for the INLD’s bid for revival, which was reduced to just one seat in the Assembly in 2019 following a split in the party. “After the release of party supremo Om Prakash Chautala from jail, the INLD was eyeing to claim its lost ground in Haryana riding on the farmers’ agitation. This was also the idea behind Abhay’s resigning from the Assembly,” stated an expert.