Benevolent stars were smiling on the INLD in the October 2009 Assembly elections when it won 31seats in the 90-member House. It was a quantum jump from the nine seats the party won in 2005 depriving Chautala of even the status of Opposition Leader.

The recent events, however, indicate that malevolent stars are threatening to cast their dark shadow on the Chautalas. First it was the disproportionate assets cases against Chautala and his two legislator sons Ajay and Abhay probed by the CBI. The agency has already filed chargesheets against Ajay and Abhey for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets worth several hundred crores. It has also sought the Speaker's permission to prosecute Chautala.

The charges of corruption during the tenure of Om Parkash Chautala's regime have their history. The Hooda government had referred four other cases to the Centre for CBI probe. These cases which were handed over to the Haryana Vigilance Bureau for investigation were first referred to the Union government for a CBI probe in April 2008. A year later, the state government even accorded its consent for a CBI probe. The Centre which did not earlier seem inclined to honour the state government's request has also reportedly referred these cases to the premier agency for action. The cases include a Rs.5000 crore tax evasion and mining scandal in Faridabad in alleged collusion with his sons, alleged illegal land acquisition in Jharsa and Bandwari of Gurgaon for constructing malls, “nominating corrupt persons” on important posts in Haryana Public Service Commission and Haryana Staff Selection Commission and irregularities in the execution of the Panipat thermal power plant units.

Hooda showed farsightedness by referring the cases to CBI instead of allowing the state Vigilance Bureau to launch prosecution against the Chautalas. He obviously wanted to avoid being charged with political vendetta. History, particularly since 1977, shows that Indian people retaliate by voting out those rulers who are vindictive and commit excesses.

After the alleged corruption and disproportionate assets cases, it is now the three breach of privilege motions against Chautala admitted during the Budget session. The motions charged Chautala with misleading the House by levelling “baseless” charges about various schemes being implemented by the government. The treasury benches refuted these by copiously quoting facts and figures.

The episode indicates the hollowness of the sweeping allegations legislators usually level without caring about the facts. Whatever the ultimate fate of the three privilege motions, the main purpose behind the treasury benches move apparently was to erode Chautala's credibility by painting him a “liar”. It is too early to speculate about the fate of the privilege motions. In the past, privilege motions against the opposition legislators had almost been allowed to lapse.

The question of possible unity among the estranged opposition parties -INLD, BJP, Bhajan Lal's Haryana Janhit Congress and BSP — offers an interesting spectacle. They fought the 2009 elections independently. INLD and BJP must be particularly ruing their failure to jointly contest the poll. While INLD won 31 and its ally Akali Dal one, the BJP and HJC secured four and six seats respectively. Independents got seven seats. Congress which failed to secure a majority winning only 40 seats was able to form the government with the support of seven Independents. It later managed to get its own majority by winning over five of the six HJC MLAs.

Some people first think and then act. There are others who first act and then think. Haryana's opposition parties belong to the second category. After failing to join hands in Assembly elections, they are now trying to come together. First they wrote to the Speaker to disqualify the five HJC MLAs for defecting to the Congress. They have threatened to move the court in case the Speaker delayed responding to their request. Then the budget session saw floor coordination between INLD and BJP. It appears the coordination may be extended to joint anti-government campaigns.

The opposition's main plank for attack on Hooda government is power and water shortage, deteriorated law and order, police excesses and Haryana's worsening financial situation. Besides, the opposition, particularly Chautalas, charge the Hooda government with being a government of property dealers.

The opposition's charges are not without substance. Power shortage in Haryana is acute. This is even admitted by the Chief Minister who, however, promises that the commissioning of new power projects will soon make Haryana power surplus. What has, however, damaged the government's image most is the worsening of police functioning and deteriorated law and order. Corruption has spread in the force. Some police officers have virtually turned criminals involved in rape and extortion cases. The latest case is of extortions from businessmen by Special Task Force personnel including its Chief. All have since been arrested.

Haryana's finances are no longer in the pink of health. Its revenue deficit and debt burden have mounted. Though the recession has partly contributed, the prevailing financial crunch is largely due to the generous freebies and concessions granted by the Hooda government during its 2005-2009 tenure.

The opposition parties, particularly INLD, justify their charge of Hooda government being a government of property dealers. Reference is also made to the High Court cases about government acquiring land from farmers for “public purpose” but allotting it to businessmen allegedly on monetary considerations.

On the other hand, opponents of INLD describe the Chautalas as a family of land grabbers, the charge since substantiated by the CBI chargesheet listing details of properties amassed by the family during INLD's 1999-2005 rule. It is for the people to judge who is right and who is wrong on the property dealers and property grabbers issue.

The conclusion: Even if Opposition unity takes place, it will pose no threat to the Hooda government. But the recent events will energise Haryana politics in the days ahead. (IPA Service)