For a political dynasty whose hallmark has been its ability to bulldoze its way out of the stickiest of crises it seemed a humiliating retreat.Last fortnight, as Haryana chief minister Om Parkash Chautala was forced to hand in his resignation following the murder of Amir Singh, an independent candidate in Meham constituency, and make way for Banarsi Das Gupta, it was time for his and his father Devi Lal's opponents to rejoice. The celebrations, however, were sobered by the realisation that it could after all just be a tactical retreat by the Devi Lal camp.The transfer of power from Chautala to Gupta - "I am happy with the unanimous choice of my successor," a beaming Chautala said - was preceded by high-tension drama when the pendulum swung back and forth from Ranjit to Hukam Singh, a hardcore Chautala supporter. Om Parkash Chautala and Banarsi Das Gupta after election: Proxy warRanjit Singh, the estranged son of Devi Lal who quit the Chautala cabinet soon after violence first broke out in Meham in February, patched up differences with his father as soon as V.P. Singh assured agitating Congress(I) members in Parliament on May 21 that the Cabinet would take a decision the same night. In a meeting that lasted 85 minutes, Ranjit Singh tried hard to convince 'Bouji' - as he calls his father - that the mantle be passed onto him.At that time, however, Devi Lal was planning to resign once again to save Chautala. He stayed away from the Cabinet meeting and the political affairs committee meet, in an effort to exert pressure but came around the next morning when he realised that Chautala had the option of either resigning gracefully or being summarily thrown out of the party.Ranjit and Chautala sat in different rooms in the deputy prime minister's residence with their supporters as they waited for Devi Lal to return from Parliament. It was obvious that there was no way Chautala would let his younger brother sit on the gaddi. Ranjit tried influencing his father through Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and waited for a positive signal from him but all Devi Lal told him was, "Mein beton ko nahi bataya karta hoon" (I don't share secrets with my sons).Amir Singh's body: Gruesome twistBut, Devi Lal's heart, as it later became clear, still lay with Chautala. They had been yoked closer together by recent events. Both had tasted defeat for the first time and they were in the game together. Chautala succeeded in convincing the irate Jat that a sympathetic person be made the leader so they could run the state by remote control till Chautala could make a comeback, which they think will be as soon as the inquiry into Amir Singh's death is completed.Chautala, however, failed in his attempt to enthrone his sycophant, Hukam Singh, but soon settled for Gupta who was deputy chief minister in his cabinet. Devi Lal, reluctant to instal Ranjit Singh, concurred when Ranjit threatened to ensure a contest if Hukam Singh was foisted on them. Central observer and Gujarat Chief Minister Chimanbhai Patel too refused to play Chautala's game, saying he might even give permission for a secret ballot if the MLAs so desired."I am nobody's man," asserted Gupta (see interview). But he has so far, however, only strengthened the view that he is guided by Chautala. Hukam Singh has been made the deputy chief minister and all five ministers inducted into the Gupta Cabinet are Chautala backers.Ranjit Singh: Losing actGupta's supporters, are, however, confident that it won't be long before he can establish his own base amongst the party's legislators. He is also armed with the option of recommending the dissolution of the Assembly if Chautala and company get too tough on him.What Gupta certainly has is the support of the high command in Delhi which will aid him in resisting the pressure that the Tau and his favourite son are bound to exert. Stung by defeat, Devi Lal has already embarked on what seems to be his only mission - to strike back. The intention behind the letter to V.P. Singh, criticising Ramakrishna Hegde and L.C. Jain for their open attacks on Chautala, is unmistakable. Blinded by love for his son, what Devi Lal fails to see is his fast declining popularity - irrespective of Darba Kalan - in his fief.Regardless of which way Gupta tilts, this is clearly not the last time that tiny Haryana rocks the Central Government. And certainly not the last time that Chautala shoots from his father's fiefdom to the frontpages.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Jun 15, 1990 00:00 IST--- ENDS ---
