Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: With the farmers’ agitation going on for past ten months, it will be a litmus test for the ruling BJP-JJP coalition government, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Congress in the Ellenabad assembly by-election in Haryana on October 30.
The Ellenabad constituency is a predominately rural seat in Sirsa district which has traditionally been a stronghold of the INLD. It won the seat in the 2019 elections in spite of a split in the party three years ago, leading to formation of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) by Dushyant Chuatla and Digvijay Chautala.While Om Prakash Chautala had won the seat in 2009, his younger son Abhay Chautala won from the assembly segment three times, first in the by-elections in 2010, then in 2014 and 2019.
The bypoll was necessitated after INLD leader Abhay Chautala resigned from the assembly on January 27 in support of the ongoing farmers’ agitation. Abhay is likely to be given ticket by the party as he has gained the sympathy and support of farmers as he kept his word and resigned from the assembly.
The INLD has been trying to gain lost ground in Haryana and get its cadre rejuvenated by organising functions across the state since Om Parkash Chautala was released from Tihar Jail after completion of his sentence in the JBT recruitment scam case.