Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has officially announced a significant alliance with Chandra Shekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) for the upcoming 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. This coalition is poised to play a crucial role in the political landscape of Haryana, with the JJP contesting on 70 seats and the Azad Samaj Party contesting on the remaining 20 seats out of the total 90 assembly seats.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference where Dushyant Chautala, the leader of the JJP and Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana, emphasized the strategic importance of this alliance. With this new partnership, the upcoming election is set to be a five-cornered contest, with the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deciding to go solo. Meanwhile, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has formed an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), adding to the competitive nature of the election.
In the previous Haryana Assembly elections, the JJP had contested 87 out of 90 seats but managed to win only 10 seats. Despite this, the party played a crucial role in forming the government by extending support to the BJP, leading to the formation of a coalition government in the state. As a result, Dushyant Chautala became the Deputy Chief Minister. However, Chautala later decided to part ways with the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to disagreements over seat-sharing arrangements.
Earlier this week, Chautala made it clear that he would not be allying with the BJP again. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) during a recent interview with ANI, stating that he did not receive the respect he deserved while being a part of the coalition. Chautala firmly asserted that the JJP would not join forces with the BJP for the Haryana Assembly polls, saying, “I can on record assure you that I won’t go to the BJP.”
Reflecting on the JJP’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the party secured only 0.87% of the vote share and failed to win any seats, Chautala remained optimistic. He stated, “I don’t take it as a crisis now. What had happened, happened. I see that as an opportunity now… Last time also, our party was a kingmaker… You can see the coming days as well; JJP will be the most important political party of the state (Haryana).”
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Chautala also hinted at the possibility of aligning with the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc in the future, depending on the political dynamics and the numbers in the upcoming elections. He mentioned that if the JJP is given priority within the alliance, it could be a viable option, saying, “Let’s see if we have the numbers, and yes, if our party is taken as a priority, then why not?”
In discussing the reasons behind the JJP’s setback during the Lok Sabha elections, Chautala acknowledged that he and his party had failed to fully grasp the sentiments of the farmers during the intense period of agitation against the controversial farm laws. He admitted, “There was anger due to farmers’ agitation. Our major vote share was of farmers, and that major vote share wanted me to step down during the agitation. My party and I thought we should stand with the government and make amendments as the bills were under the central government… Maybe we couldn’t understand the sentiments, and that’s why we paid the price during Lok Sabha elections.”
The alliance between the JJP and the Azad Samaj Party marks a strategic move that could reshape the political dynamics in Haryana. With the state gearing up for a multi-cornered contest, this partnership is expected to be a key factor in determining the electoral outcome. As the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections approach, all eyes will be on this new alliance and its potential to influence the future of Haryana’s political landscape.
