How a bypoll in 1974 cemented ties between Badals and Chautalas

Parkash Singh Badal comes out of his residence after being arrested by Chandigarh Police on December 5, 1987. Archive

Despite the BJP and SAD forming a poll alliance in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Badal had gone to Hisar to address an election rally for Dushyant Chautala, who was then an INLD candidate. Badal had hinted that he would nominate Dushyant to Modi’s ministry if NDA came to power in the Centre. Badal’s presence at the rally had given the impression that the INLD might go with the BJP after the polls, which proved to be a significant advantage for Dushyant’s win in the parliamentary poll.

Dushyant Chautala stated that the two families had been pillars for each other for many years, even during the phase of Emergency. Parkash Singh Badal was a symbol of unity for Punjabis and Hindus, and despite his 70-year-long political career, he remained a soft-spoken leader who never lost his temper.

Abhay Chautala stated that during the Emergency, Devi Lal and Parkash Singh Badal were jailed for 19 months. Abhay has suspended all programmes of his ongoing padyata for two days following Badal’s demise.

However, Aditya Devi Lal, another grandson of Devi Lal, said that it was the Rori byelection of 1974 in Haryana that had strengthened the ties between the two families. Aditya recalled how Badal’s younger brother, Gurdas Singh Badal, had once told him about the efforts Parkash had put into convincing Devi Lal to contest the bypoll.

According to Aditya, Devi Lal took wrestler training at an ‘akhara’ located in the neighbouring village of Badal in Punjab. Aditya, who is the son of the late Jagdish Chautala, one of Devi Lal’s four sons, was recently appointed chairperson of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board.