As JJP attends NDA meet today, doubts over ‘differences’ settled for now

This has been his position for a while.

In December 2022, Chautala had told The Indian Express: “It had been decided (that we will go for an alliance) when we had entered into an alliance (in 2019). I have always stated this.”

But the BJP did not appear as keen, reportedly due to opposition to the alliance by a section of BJP leaders, including former Union minister Chaudhary Birender Singh.

In April this year, Haryana BJP president Om Prakash Dhankar had said: “Whether or not we go for an alliance for the next election is a strategic subject. It is too early to say.”

BJP leaders said the party was waiting before it could play its cards, especially with the JJP — which had won 10 seats in the 2020 Assembly polls — having disappointed its core constituency of farmers.

During the agitation for the three farm laws between 2020-21, the farmers were looking at the JJP to take a stand for them and even sever ties with the BJP.

Chautala was also under pressure from Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), who had resigned from the Narendra Modi Cabinet in 2020, despite her party being a long-time NDA. Despite several protests by farmers against Dushyant, the JJP continued to be a part of Haryana’s coalition government.

Now, leaders of the alliance government say that the JJP sent a strong signal by not withdrawing support from the BJP-led government despite risking its core vote bank. They say Dushyant also adds importance as a Jat face.

The move to take their alliance forward comes at a time that former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is leading the Congress campaign against the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP government, seizing on the anti-incumbency factor.

At a broad level, the BJP appears to be making an effort to retain most of its allies, in the face of strengthening efforts to unite the Opposition.

The party has also been making moves to consolidate support bases. Recently, it appointed MP Kuldeep Bishnoi, the son of Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, as the Rajasthan co-incharge for the coming polls in the state to woo Bishnoi votes.

On June 18, senior BJP leader and Union home minister Amit Shah spent nearly 30 minutes at the Sirsa residence of Haryana power minister Ranjit Singh Chautala. Ranjit Singh, an independent MLA and youngest son of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, may reportedly be fielded for the coming Rajasthan polls to woo Jat votes there.