BJP to go with Chautala

The BJP has decided to have an alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal of Om Prakash Chautala8212;an important partner of the UNPA until recently8212;in Haryana. An announcement to this effect is likely to be made on October 12, according to sources.

BJP president Rajnath Singh, who had summoned important Haryana BJP leaders here on Wednesday, told them that the decision to align with Chautala had been taken by the central parliamentary board, the apex decision-making body. He directed them to abide by it and unitedly work for its implementation. The state unit had been divided on the issue with one section favouring an alliance with Chautala and the other, with Haryana Janhit Congress BL of Kuldeep Bishnoi, Bhajan Lal8217;s son.

The state has a total of 10 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP, which has had alliances with Chautala and Bansi Lal in the past, has six-seven seats.

Sources say the sharing of seats is not a problem. Ideally, Chautala would want to contest half the seats, but if the BJP is keen on contesting six, he can part with one more. However, he would want the BJP to keep the balance in his favour when it comes to sharing Assembly seats later. The BJP is sure to contest Ambala, Karnal, Sonepat, Gurgaon and Faridabad. The four seats considered certain to go to Chautala are Bhiwani, Hisar, Sirsa and Kurukshetra. The 10th, Rohtak, held by Deepender Hooda, son of CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, can go either way, more likely to the BJP.