Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala pushes for simultaneous polls: ‘Always better for regional parties’

Dismissing rumours of break-up with BJP and discontent among electorate, the JJP chief says simultaneous Assembly and Parliamentary polls is good for voters, ECI and political parties

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala has told the Election Commission that it has no objections to the state Assembly elections being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. (File Photo)

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The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) led by Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala has told the Election Commission (EC) that it has no objections to the state Assembly elections being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, nearly six months before the state government completes its tenure in October 2024.

This could potentially put the JJP’s ruling alliance in the state under stress, given that the BJP state unit, although gung ho about going to the polls at any time, has left the decision to the party’s central leadership. In principle, the BJP is not against such a move. In March, then Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju advocated holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, saying it would result in huge savings to the public exchequer. He made the remarks in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Dushyant Chautala told The Indian Express on Friday, “We have had three meetings with the EC. In all three, our office-bearers have said that if the EC decides to hold the Vidhan Sabha polls with the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, we don’t have any objection to it.”

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Explaining why his party was open to facing the Assembly polls early, Dushyant said, “There are various reasons for it. The foremost is that it is cost-effective and less burdensome on both the political parties and the electorate. It is also convenient for the EC to hold both elections together and puts less burden on everybody.”

He added, “I also believe that holding Assembly elections with the Lok Sabha polls is always better for regional parties. Take the example of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha. All these states have elections coinciding with the Lok Sabha polls. Even the voter is well-prepared at the time of the Lok Sabha polls. So, if the Vidhan Sabha elections are held at the same time, it is good for them too. Otherwise, we (the political parties) have to first prepare for the Lok Sabha polls, and then a few months later, have to again prepare for the Vidhan Sabha elections. Holding both elections at the same time would save everybody’s time and resources.”

Talking about his party’s electoral plans, Dushyant said, “Before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the JJP would contest at least 25-30 seats in the Rajasthan Assembly polls. We’ve identified seats where we know Chaudhary Devi Lal’s policies have an influence.”

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About speculation of fissures in the JJP’s alliance with the BJP in Haryana, he said, “Everybody has been asking the same question time and again. But, there is nothing like that. The alliance is going strong in the state government.” Both the BJP and the JJP have already declared they would contest all 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana.

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“It is every political party’s ambition to contest the maximum number of seats. We have also made our preparations and shall be beginning our Lok Sabha poll rallies with the first at Sonipat Lok Sabha constituency on July 2. We shall cover all 10 Lok Sabha constituencies of Haryana in the coming months,” Dushyant said.

Asked about the speculation of a break-up in the alliance, Dushyant hinted at certain Independent MLAs who were desperate to see the alliance break as, in that case, the BJP would have to depend on them to save the government and allow them to make gains for their vested political interests.

Dushyant also dismissed rumours of discontent with him in the state for not withdrawing support to the BJP during the year-long farmers’ agitation or the wrestlers’ protest. “I have not seen anything like that in any part of the state. Wherever I go, people welcome and shower me with their love. It is only a bunch of people who are doing these things designed by the Opposition for their vested political interests. Otherwise, there is no backlash. Basically, what’s happening today is that if any political party wants to raise its TRP, they begin abusing Dushyant Chautala. But the people of Haryana are with me,” he said. The JJP leader added that his party was expecting to increase its vote share from 16% in 2019 to at least 30-32% in the 2024 polls.

Currently, the BJP has 41 MLAs in Haryana’s 90-member Vidhan Sabha, while the JJP has 10. The Congress has 30, while the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) have one each. There are also seven Independents, out of whom, six have already announced their support to the BJP.