Abhay Chautala has called a meeting of INLD's serving and former lawmakers and officials
Expelled INLD leader Ajay Singh Chautala's wife and legislator Naina Chautala has dared the rival camp led by Abhay Singh Chautala to expel her from the party, even as she hinted at the possibility of major decisions at a meeting called by her husband on Saturday.
"From tomorrow, there will be a new beginning," she said Friday, referring to the planned meeting in Jind which the Abhay Chautala camp has termed illegal.
Asked if Ajay Chautala is likely to float a new outfit, she told reporters in Ellenabad in Sirsa district, "See what all happens tomorrow."
Abhay Chautala too has called a meeting Saturday in Chandigarh of the Haryana-based Indian National Lok Dal's serving and former MLAs, MPs and other office bearers in a show of strength between the two brothers.
Naina Chautala addressed a meeting of women supporters in brother-in-law Abhay Chautala's assembly segment Ellenabad.
Also on Friday, party secretary Ashok Sherwal threw his weight behind the elder brother and announced his resignation from the post.
He claimed 100 party workers and office bearers have also resigned with him in support of Ajay Chautala.
The feud within the Chautala family escalated after the jailed INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala expelled his elder son Ajay Singh Chautala from the primary membership of the party for alleged anti-party activities.
A fortnight ago, he had also expelled Ajay Chautala's two sons, Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala and Digvijay Chautala, over alleged indiscipline.
Ajay Chautala, 57, who is serving a 10-year jail term along with former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala in a teachers' recruitment scam, is currently out on a two-week parole.
Though Naina Chautala has been speaking out after the action against her sons, she has been spared disciplinary action so far.
"Why don't you expel me and (INLD MLA) Nagender Bhadana? We too have been holding separate programmes. What was Ajay ji's fault, what did he do?" she said, questioning his expulsion.
Naina Chautala said if she is expelled Abhay Chautala may lose the Leader of Opposition status because of a fall in the number of party MLAs in the Haryana assembly.
About the recent expulsions,Ms Naina said, "What they deemed fit, they did."
There is no point in "mourning" that, she said. "From tomorrow, there will be a new beginning," she added, referring to the Jind meeting.
She hinted that some big announcement will be made by Ajay Chautala.
Attacking Abhay Chautala, she said, "A man may dress like a 'sadhu', but that won't change his mentality."
She alleged that several INLD MLAs were being forcibly confined in a resort in Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh, a charge denied by the Abhay Chautala camp.
Naina Chautala said Abhay Chautala was lucky to have an elder brother like her husband, whom she called a thorough gentleman.
But he did not value the relationship, she said.
Asked if Dushyant Chautala was being pitched as a future chief minister by the Ajay Chautala camp, she said it was up to the people.
"As a mother, I can only give blessings. It is the people who decide. No one can get up from the drawing room and become chief minister. As a mother, I wish that he becomes chief minister."
In Yamunanagar, INLD secretary Ashok Sherwal said he and party workers stands behind the elder brother.
"With a heavy heart, I have to say that our leader Ajay Singh Chautala, who gave his sweat and blood for this party and strengthened it, has been expelled without any valid reason. We stand solidly behind him," he told reporters.