Former Deputy Chief Minister and Jannayak Janta Party leader Dushyant Chautala, contesting the upcoming Haryana Assembly election from his family bastion Uchana Kalan in Haryana’s Jind, speaks to The Hindu on a host of issues including the challenges before his party, his alliance with Azad Samaj Party and his learning from past experiences.
These are challenging times for your party grappling with erosion of support base, and the workers and the MLAs quitting ahead of the election? How do you plan to deal with it?
There are many instances in political history when a party has been through a rough phase. These ups and downs are part of a political journey. Every election is a challenge and the cadre that overcomes it forms the government. We will expand our support base, bring more people to the party’s fold and train them. We will work harder and move forward.
In a post on your social media platform recently you wrote saying that you were learning from your mistakes. What mistakes were you talking about?
I believe no one can be perfect. So if there are any shortcomings be it in taking political decisions or the running of the government, those are my mistakes. I think there were none, but if people think differently, I will improve.
Can you be more specific?
Like, I talk about the sentiments of the masses and my supporters. When I go among the people, everyone says that I should have resigned during the farmers’ agitation. I could not understand their sentiments then, probably it was my mistake.
How do you address the people’s resentment over the twin issues of the JJP’s alliance with the BJP and the stand your party took during the farmers’ agitation?
People are angry, but how long can it be like this? It cannot go on forever. We had to fulfil the promises that we had made to the people in the election. Those promises could not be fulfilled by sitting in the Opposition. The monthly old age pension in Haryana has been increased to ₹3,000. It was because of our efforts. I believe people will understand this. We gave 50% reservation to women in panchayats and 8% reservation to the OBC (A). It became possible only because we were part of the government. Sitting in the Opposition, I could only criticise and find fault, but not fulfil the promises.
But your party’s two biggest promises for 75% reservation for local youth in private jobs and ₹5,100 monthly old age pension are not yet fulfilled.
We cleared the law for 75% reservation in private jobs in the State Assembly. It is sub judice. So many things of the Union government over the past ten years are also sub judice. Our law has not been struck down by the Supreme Court. We increased the old age pension from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000, being part of the government led by the BJP. The BJP is in power in 18 States, but in none of those States, the pension is more than ₹1,000. Does my party have no role in the pension hike? I had only a 20% share in the government, but still achieved a lot. I think it was good enough.
Your party and your alliance partner Azad Samaj Party cater to different vote banks, who don’t go along together on the ground. How do you coordinate?
Our vote bank is the same. We are targeting those below the age of 55 years. They make around 60% of the total electorate of the State. If we win over this 60% vote bank, we can form our own government.
But both parties cater to different castes.
We don’t think like this. It is not our mindset to talk about caste politics. The target of both the parties is to empower the youth and we have a clear vision for them and the State.
What’s your take on the Haryana Assembly poll. What role do you see for your alliance after the results?
I think Haryana will have a hung Assembly and our alliance will have a very important role to play in it. The job at hand is to get the maximum numbers. Once we have the numbers, we will decide on the future course of action.
Do you regret the post-poll alliance with the BJP after the 2019 Assembly poll?
I don’t regret entering into an alliance with the BJP, but I regret standing with them during the farmers’ agitation.
Published – September 28, 2024 02:11 am IST
