Deepender Deswal

Hisar, May 4

The legacy of former Deputy PM Devi Lal has emerged as a political issue in the Hisar constituency.

All four main candidates are directly or indirectly linked to the late leader, Tau Devi Lal. The candidates from the BJP, INLD, JJP and Congress claimed that they were the 'real' inheritors of his politics while reaching out to the electorate, especially in the rural segment.

While the BJP, JJP and INLD candidates belong to Devi Lal's family, the Congress nominee also entered politics as a worker of Devi Lal. BJP candidate Ranjit Singh, son of the former Deputy PM, started his political career in 1987 when Devi Lal led the Lok Dal to a historic victory in the Assembly election by securing 85 seats (in alliance with the BJP) of 90 seats in Haryana. Singh, who won his first Assembly election from Rori in 1987, served as agriculture minister in Haryana.

"I never deviated from the ideology of my father, though I remained in the Congress, and have now joined the BJP. The welfare of the common people has been my only agenda in politics," he claimed.

INLD candidate Sunaina Chautala, wife of Devi Lal's grandson Ravi Chautala (son of Devi Lal's elder brother Pratap Chautala), claimed that the INLD was formed by Devi Lal and was based on his political ideology. "There is nothing more to say for the JJP as people are opposing it in villages."

Meanwhile, JJP candidate Naina Chautala, who is the grand-daughter-in-law of Devi Lal (wife of Devi Lal's grandson Ajay Chautala), said the ideology of Devi Lal was the leading light of their party.

She claimed that Dushyant Chautala (her son) had not only worked for the welfare of farmers during his stint as the Deputy CM in the BJP-JJP government, but also raised their issues when he was the INLD MP from Hisar during 2014-19.

Congress candidate Jai Prakash, aka JP, maintained that though he was not related to the Chautalas, he had, as a worker, learnt the art of politics from Devi Lal. "The INLD leader himself says that JP was one of the many political workers who were launched in politics by Devi Lal. I admit this as I have been following the path and policies shown by Devi Lal," he said.

JP was given ticket by the Janata Dal led by Devi Lal from Hisar Lok Sabha in 1989 when he won the seat, and later served as Union minister under the Chandra Shekhar government, with Devi Lal as the Deputy PM.

Devi Lal never contested from Hisar

• Devi Lal never contested from the Hisar Lok Sabha seat, though he won Sonepat (1980), Rohtak (1989) and Sikar in Rajasthan (1989)
• He emerged as a stalwart in national politics after 1987 and contested the Lok Sabha poll from three different states simultaneously: Rohtak, Sikar and Ferozepur in Punjab
• He won from Rohtak and Sikar, but lost in Ferozepur. He also served as Haryana CM twice (1977-1979 and 1987-1989)