Haryana Assembly polls: Ex-Dy PM Chaudhary Devi Lal's legacy gets boost after five relatives from different political stripes win seats

The Haryana Assembly election results have thrown up a phenomenon that would have made the late deputy prime minister Chaudhary Devi Lal (1914-2001) proud. As many as five members of his extended family, all bearing the surname Chautala, registered victory from a Haryana village also called Chautala. [caption id=“attachment_5700161” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Dushyant Chautala. News18[/caption] The five Chautalas to have emerged winners this Assembly election — though representing different political parties — are Dushyant Chautala (Uchana Kalan seat), Abhay Singh Chautala (Ellenabad), Ranjit Singh Chautala (Rania), Naina Chautala (Badhra) and Amit Sihag (Chautala) from Dabwali. All five winners, who are related either directly or distantly to Devi Lal, are carrying forward the legacy of the man who served as deputy prime minister from 1989 to 1991, and twice served as chief minister of Haryana. The sitting MLA Abhay Singh Chautala (56), grandson of Devi Lal and son of ex-Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, is the uncle of Dushyant Chautala, the 31-year-old ex-MP from Hisar, who is also the president of the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP). The other winner, Naina Chautala, also representing JJP, is Dushyant’s mother. While, Ranjit Singh Chautala (74), a former minister in Haryana government is the son of Devi Lal and brother of Om Prakash Chautala, Amit Sihag is the grandson of Devi Lal. Prior to the election, all eyes were on the fledgling JJP, which was floated last year by Dushyant, after a vertical split in the once powerful INLD party following a family feud in the Chautala clan. And, Dushyant proved his mettle as his party won 10 seats in the 90-member Assembly. Dushyant is expected to play a vital role in the Haryana government formation. While, Abhay contested on INLD ticket, Ranjit Singh Chautala is an Independent candidate and Amit Sihag is a Congress candidate. “All five winning candidates are related to our stalwart Devi Lalji, the ultimate leader of the Chautala clan due to whom, all others right from Om Prakash Chautala to Dushyant Chautala have become prominent in Haryana politics. Voters of the region still have a lot of respect for Chautalas, though the clan has been divided. But the Chautala surname still matters,” Shamsher Singh from Sirsa told Firstpost. Om Prakash and his son Ajay in Tihar jail after being convicted in a teacher recruitment scam. Chautala is a village in Dabwali block of Sirsa district in Haryana. Devi Lal and Om Prakash belong to this village, where their ancestors settled in 1919, and thereby acquired the surname ‘Chautala’. This village is also known for sports. During 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay passed through this village and senior national volleyball championship was also held here at Chaudhary Sahib Ram Stadium.