'Chautala's release from jail may change political equation in Haryana'

If sources are to believed, the return of Chautala to active politics may change some equations as he was in continuous touch with party workers even from jail. It is also being speculated that the INLD will strengthen with his return to the helm of affairs.

Chandigarh: Speculations of new equations in Haryana's politics gaining momentum after Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader and former Chief Minister Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala was released from Tihar as he completed his sentence in the JBT case. Tihar Jail Authority informed that Chautala has completed his sentence and he is eligible for special remission.

If sources are to believed, the return of Chautala to active politics may change some equations as he was in continuous touch with party workers even from jail. It is also being speculated that the INLD will strengthen with his return to the helm of affairs. Speaking to ETV Bharat, political analyst, Professor Gurmeet Singh said that Chautala is a seasoned politician and hence everyone will be interested to see how active he remains to run the party's affairs. He said that as a Chief Minister of the state, Chautala used to cover three to four districts on a day so now it has to be seen how active he remains.

"It will be interesting to see how he takes on Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in the state. It will also be interesting to see that whether is he able to reunite his family or not? Because he has good relations with Akali Dal in Punjab so a change in the political equation in Haryana can not be negated," he said, adding that people will be eager to see what step does he take against the farmers' movement.

It is worth mentioning here that a family feud led Chautala's son Ajay Chautala to walk out of the party and form the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) with his sons Dushyant and Digvijay Chautala in December 2018. Dushyant’s JJP won 10 seats in the 2019 assembly polls and he has been serving as Deputy Chief Minister since then in Haryana's coalition government. OP Chautala was serving a 10-year jail term in the teachers' recruitment scam which took place in Haryana during his tenure as the state's Chief Minister. The jail term was awarded by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in the national capital.