Om Prakash Chautala banishes elder son from INLD

Chandigarh: Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala has expelled his elder son Ajay Singh Chautala from the post of secretary general of the state unit of the INLD as well as from the primary membership of the party.

INLD state president Ashok Arora on Wednesday announced the decision in the presence of Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala. Mr Arora also showed a letter signed by Mr Chautala in this regard.

The INLD has called a meeting of the state executive as well as of MLAs and MPs at Jat Bhawan in Chandigarh on November 17. The same day, Ajay Chautala has called a meeting at Jind.

It is worth mentioning here that the rivalry between the Chautala brothers was simmering for more than two months now. Ajay Chautala and senior Chautala have been convicted in a case of corruption. They are currently serving their 10-year jail terms.

In their absence, Abhay has managed the party affairs. Ajay’s son Dushyant, who was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014, has emerged as a strong party face.

Om Prakash Chautala also expelled Dushyant and his brother Digvijay last month for anti-party activities. Former chief minister and INLD president O.P. Chautala has firmly put his weight behind his son Abhay Chautala.

Former Punjab chief minister Prakash Singh Badal and a family friend of Chautala’s have sought to play intermediaries in this family feud. However, it hasn’t helped so far.

The big names who recently resigned from INLD include senior nati-onal vice-president Jasw-inder Khaira and national vice-president Rajesh Dhull. Also, other officer-bearers such as state secretary Mannu Maan and state spokespersons Balraj Deshwal, Vivek Chaudhary and Arvind Bhardwaj have resigned.