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However, Chautala did not rule out the possibility of an alliance with either the BJP or the Congress in future. “You cannot predict the future. There are no permanent enemies in politics. Your agenda and people of the state are your priority. You take a decision keeping this in mind,” he said, adding that the coalition government under former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar worked very well. “It was a very good experience and both the parties worked well together. The state is one of the most progressive states in the country – our revenues have doubled.”
On why the alliance with the BJP broke down if the government worked well, Chautala said, “Seat-sharing was the main issue. BJP wanted us to fight one seat of Rohtak but we wanted to contest on two seats – Bhiwani-Mahendragarh and Hisar. Since they had 10 sitting MPs, we gave them an offer that JJP would not fight Lok Sabha elections but BJP should finalise a seat-sharing agreement for assembly polls and announce ₹5,100 old age pension in the state. The total burden would have been Rs 700-800 crore only. Now we are ready to fight on all 10 seats, which includes Rohtak.”
Chautala had provided the crucial support of 10 MLAs to the BJP, which had a tally of 40 seats and was six short of the majority mark of 46.
The former Haryana deputy chief minister was even more critical of the INDIA bloc. “Congress is witnessing a lot of infighting at the national and state level. It is very difficult for Congress to sustain itself. Lok Sabha elections of 2024 are a do-or-die battle for Congress. If we do not see Congress crossing the 50-mark, we will see Congressmen running around to join another party immediately after,” he said. “Had I been Congress’ advisor, I would have told them to fight on 250 and allow other alliance partners to fight on about 300.”
“When Chaudhary Devi Lal ji brought the entire opposition together in 1989 they came out as one strong unit. During Atal ji’s time NDA came together as a strong force,” Chautala said, adding that the Congress and the INDIA bloc had failed to “become one voice”. “There is not even a strong face to lead that alliance… After five meetings of the INDIA bloc, there was no harmony. First, the opposition needs to be in sync and get harmony and then try to project a face.”On the question of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi leading the INDIA bloc, Chautala said, “I have never thought of him as a leader. I don’t take him seriously. When you are going into the biggest election, a leader should not have gone on a yatra. “
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