JJP chief Dushyant Chautala confirms contest from bastion, calls CM ‘kati patang’

He also slammed Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, calling him “kati patang (free kite)” over the reported uncertainty surrounding his choice of seat. “No one knows if he (Saini) will land in Karnal (his current seat), Ladwa (the seat state BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli announced for Saini) or Naraingarh (from where the CM won in 2014). I am surprised that the BJP, which has been in power in Haryana and at the Centre for the past 10 years, lacks confidence in its own leaders,” he said.

The Uchana Kalan seat has been hotly contested by the two big political families of the state – the Chautala clan of Devi Lal and Birender Singh’s family. While Birender has won the seat five times (2005, 1996, 1991, 1982 and 1977), his wife Prem Lata won it in 2014. Dushyant and his grandfather Om Prakash Chautala had won the seat once each in 2019 and 2009 respectively. Falling in Jind district and under Hisar Lok Sabha seat, the Uchana Kalan segment is seen as a stronghold of Birender Singh, the grandson of legendary farmer leader Sir Chhotu Ram and has a significant chunk of Jat voters.

In the upcoming polls on September 5, Dushyant is likely to lock horns with Birender’s son, Brijendra, a former MP from Hisar, who quit the BJP and joined the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, Dushyant also trained guns on Birender. “Earlier, he said women candidates should contest from Uchana Kalan but a few days ago, he said Brijendra will be the candidate. He (Birender) wanted Brijendra to contest the Lok Sabha elections but could not. Now, Bijendra may lose his Assembly ticket as well. His (Birendra’s) own relative – cousin Bhupinder Singh Hooda – will be responsible for that,” the JJP leader said.

Dushyant also urged workers of ally Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), which is contesting 20 of the 90 seats, to work diligently for the next 35 days to ensure that a “farmer-labourer” government is voted to power in Haryana. The JJP will contest 70 seats in the state which goes to the polls in a single phase on October 5.