Dushyant Chautala, leader of the Janata Jananayak Party (JJP), is positioning his party as a key player in the upcoming Haryana assembly elections, predicting a hung assembly on October 5. The JJP is contesting the polls in alliance with Chandra Shekhar Azad-led Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram).
Chautala, the great-grandson of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, expressed confidence that their alliance will secure enough seats to significantly influence the formation of the next government. In the 2019 elections, the JJP won 10 seats, while the BJP and Congress secured 40 and 31 seats, respectively.
“No single party will cross the 40-seat mark,” he asserted, suggesting that multiple parties and Independents will likely emerge victorious. When asked if he would support another party in a hung assembly, Chautala responded, “Why can’t somebody come behind us?”
The JJP is contesting 69 seats while the ASP is fielding candidates in 16. The alliance has also supported three Independent candidates. Chautala is seeking re-election from Uchana Kalan, facing off against Congress’s Brijendra Singh.
Chautala, who served as deputy chief minister until March 2024, criticized the BJP, claiming voters want to show the party “the way out.” He accused the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) of acting as the BJP’s “B team,” citing their support for candidates aligned with the ruling party.
Chautala criticised the BJP, suggesting that voters want to remove them from power. He alleged that the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) operates as a “B team” for the BJP, pointing to a recent withdrawal of a BJP candidate to support another party’s candidate.
He further asserted that key issues in the campaign, including unemployment, law and order, and farmers’ rights. Chautala, who previously served as deputy chief minister, defended his record on farmer welfare, noting improvements in minimum support prices and prompt payments.
Polling for 90 seats will take place in a single phase on October 5, with results announced on October 8.