Om Prakash Chautala is serving a 10-year jail sentence in a teacher recruitment scam. (File)
The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) stared at a possible split a day after its president Om Prakash Chautala expelled grandsons Dushyant Chautala and Digvijay Chautala from the party, triggering resignations by activists in their support.
Several party leaders in Haryana districts announced their resignations today from the INLD over the expulsion of the two leaders, both children of Om Prakash Chautala's elder son Ajay Chautala.
Some made the announcement on social media, expressing solidarity with the grandsons, who were charged with "indiscipline" and then sacked on Friday.
The two are seen as opponents of their uncle and Mr Chautala's younger son, legislator Abhay Singh Chautala.
There is speculation that Ajay Chautala and his two sons may float another party or join the BJP, which is in power in Haryana.
Hisar lawmaker Dushyant Chautala who met his supporters in Sirsa said the next course will be decided when his father Ajay Chautala steps out of prison.
Dushyant and Om Prakash Chautala are undergoing a 10-year jail term since 2013 in a teacher recruitment scandal. His 14-day parole begins on November 5, the sources said.
INLD lawmaker Abhay Singh Chautala hit out at those resigning from the party, said, "Those who are deserting the INLD now are people who have allegiance to the Congress. Some Congressmen wanted to weaken the INLD."
He said those who are with the INLD wanted to see his father Om Prakash Chautala as the next chief minister of Haryana.
The simmering family feud came to a head on Friday when an INLD press statement announced the expulsions, quoting the party's jailed national president.
The two had earlier been placed under suspension after a ruckus at a party rally in Gohana on October 7.
Om Prakash Chautala dissolved the party's student and youth wings, headed by the now sacked grandsons.
Abhay Chautala, also asserted that the INLD will form the next government in Haryana, predicting that neither the Congress, nor the BJP will get the majority to form a government in the Lok Sabha polls. "The situation will be such that Mayawati will become the next PM," he added.
The INLD has an alliance with her Bahujan Samaj Party in Haryana. With his elder brother and father in prison, Abhay Chautala has been running the Haryana-based party for the last few years.