Abhay Chautala Resigns as Leader of Opposition from Haryana Assembly, Demands Disqualification of Rebel MLAs

Chandigarh: Two days after INLD MLA Ranbir Singh Gangwa switched over to the BJP, Abhay Singh Chautala, resigned as the Leader of Opposition from Haryana assembly.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, the senior Indian National Lok Dal (NILD) leader said he has sent his resignation to the Assembly speaker.

Chautala launched a scathing attack on his nephew Dushyant Chautala’s Janata Jananayak Party (JJP) and said he is also writing to Speaker to disqualify four INLD MLAs who have shifted their loyalties towards the JJP. “Those who have betrayed the INLD should never be allowed to come victorious to the Assembly and the Parliament,” he said.

The MLAs include Dushyant Chautala’s mother Naina Chautala (Dabwali), Rajdeep Phogat (Dadri), Prithi Namberdar (Narwana) and Anoop Dhanak (Uklana).

The Ellenabad MLA also asked the Speaker to disqualify Gangwa who joined the BJP on Thursday. “We will also write to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha tomorrow to disqualify Dushyant Chautala with immediate effect,” said Chautala.

The strength of INLD has been reduced to 17 in the Haryana Assembly after the demise of Jind MLA Hari Chand Midha and Pehowa MLA Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, bringing it at par with the Congress, which also has 17 legislators in the 90-member house. The Jind by-poll witnessed Midha’s son Krishan Midha emerge victorious on a BJP ticket.

Chautala also lashed out at Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala, saying he will file a defamation case against him alleging that the INLD never wrote any letter to the BJP for an alliance.

Raising the poll pitch on the Martyrs’ Day on Saturday, the INLD leader demanded that people who lost their lives during the Jat reservation protests, Dera Sacha Sauda violence and during the arrest of Sant Rampal be declared martyrs. He also demanded employment for the family members of the deceased.

“If the government doesn’t fulfill our demands, we will fulfill them on our own when we come into power after the 2019 assembly polls,” he said.

Chautala was recently targeted by the BJP and the Congress for losing the position of leader of opposition in the House especially after BJP's Krishan Midha emerged as the winner in Jind bypoll.