Past alliance with NDA cost us : Chautala

MANDATE 2004

Blaming the INLD's debacle in the lok Sabha elections on its past alliance with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), party president and Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala today said had the two estranged allies separated a year before the polls the picture would have been completely different.

"Our partnership with BJP-led NDA cost us dear and it was the main reason for our defeat in the Lok Sabha polls. There is little doubt that we would have fared much better had we separated from the NDA at least one year before the polls," Chautala told reporters at his residence here.

The decisions which the NDA took four to five months prior to the parliamentary elections were not in favour of the people, he said.

"The rates of several essential commodities increased considerably, which hurt people.

The maximum support price (MSP) was not increased, no drought relief was given by the Centre and the prices of sugarcane were also reduced. Cost of petrol, diesel, iron and steel and gas also went up, which caused widespread resentment among the people against the policies of the NDA government," he said.

Earlier in the day, Chautala presided over a meeting of party MLAs, candidates who contested the Lok Sabha polls, presidents of district units, heads of various cells and other party office bearers to discuss INLD's poll debacle and suggest remedial measures.