Agriculture Bills: After Punjab, Will NDA Witness A Rift In Haryana As Well?

Chautala’s party JJP which is in the ruling coalition with BJP in Haryana, has a huge supporters' base of farmers.

(Credits: Getty Images)

New Delhi: Will BJP’s old ally the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) part ways with the party, or will the entire slugfest over farm bill remain limited to the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur? The question has become significant after SAD leader and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur tendered her resignation from the Modi cabinet to protest the agriculture bills. After SAD’s move, the pressure is building up on Haryana deputy CM Dushyant Chautala. Chautala’s party JJP which is in the ruling coalition with BJP in Haryana, has been gaining support of farmers. If JJP takes any major decision to back farmers, it can lead to problems for Khattar government, as it is evident that it is because of JJP’s support that BJP is able to keep Haryana in its fold. Now all eyes are on Dushyant, who is stuck in a moral dilemma, whether he chooses to remain in power or decides to save his base vote bank. The Badals in Punjab and Chautalas in Haryana share a connection of friendship and brotherhood since years. In his Lok Sabha speech on the farm bills SAD president Sukhbir Badal very cleverly brought the topic of their friendship with Chautalas and remembered the contribution of Dushyant’s grandfather Chaudhary Devilal. The underlying message was clearly inviting the Chautalas in support of their move, however, Dushyant has not yet responded. The protest of farmers against the farm ordinances sparked from Pipli in Haryana, where the police lathi-charged the protesting farmers. Dushyant’s younger brother Digvijay Chuatala also apologized to the farmers over the police action. Even the middlemen have come forward to protest alongside the farmers as the new legislation would not enable them to earn their commission.