Almost a month after senior Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) leader and MLA from Narnaund Ram Kumar Gautam took on senior party leader and Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala for keeping 11 portfolios in the BJP-JJP coalition Government, the JJP on Thursday sought an explanation from the veteran politician.
JJP has given Gautam 15 days to explain his remarks against Dushyant Talking to The Pioneer, JJP State President Nishan Singh said that the party on Wednesday sought an explanation from Gautam and asked him to submit his reply within 15 days for passing “negative comments” regarding the party leadership. He has been asked to reply over his statements that has damaged the party.
When contacted, Gautam said. “I have received a letter from the party at my residence. I was not present when the letter was received. I was informed by staff about the questions asked by the party in the letter. I will study the letter and send the reply to the party soon.” Downplaying any rift at this juncture, Gautam said,” I was involved in making the party and also working hard to make it strong. We are united.”
Gautam, who was in the race for becoming a minister after the JJP formed an alliance with the BJP had earlier said that after becoming the Deputy Chief Minister, Dushyant took 11 departments under his control and forgot the other party leaders.
Upset with the denial of a Cabinet berth in the BJP-JJP coalition government, Gautam had stated, “He (Dushyant) is keeping all the portfolios including industry, excise and taxation, PWD (B&R), revenue and food and supply. There is no limit to their greed. What can we do? He did not share power with anybody else. He made me MLA, but we have made him the Deputy Chief Minister.”
Gautam had also said that he had no regrets about resigning from the post of party vice-president of the party. “JJP is not a national party. I was made all India vice president in the party even though the party has influence in a limited pocket in Haryana. I am among those who follow the ideals,” he said, adding “JJP is a party made by me and my efforts. I nurtured nurtured the party with my sweat and blood. My self-esteem has been hurt, so I will not go to meet Dushyant."
Initially, the party had preferred to keep the issue under the wraps with Dushyant repeatedly stating that Gautam was a senior elder and will be persuaded.
Meanwhile, video clips showing Gautam being critical of Dushyant Chautala kept emerging in the social media. “The party can’t allow such utterances for long. It sends a negative image about the patry,” a senior JJP leader said.
With these sentiments, the JJP has now sought clarification from the veteran politician asking him to explain why did he express “negative and baseless views” through the media.
The party leadership claim that most of Gautam’s statements critical to the leadership are baseless and are not in the interest of the party. “His recent statements are not in the favour of the party,” said a JJP leader privy to the matter. However, the JJP has not hinted at taking stern action against Gautam immediately. “The party will take next action only after receiving his reply,” said sources in the JJP.
Last month, Gautam, who had defeated former state Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu, had announced his resignation from the post of JJP’s national vice president.
Besides Dushyant, the only minister from the JJP quota in the Manohar Lal Khattar Cabinet at present is Anoop Dhanak, a two-time MLA, who is looking after a low profile ministry Archaeology and Museums (independent charge) and Labour and Employment (attached with the deputy CM) as Minister of State. Gautam has been a habitual party hopper in his career. He became an MLA from BJP in 2005, but in 2010 contested the polls on a Congress ticket. He lost the election. Then he also got disillusioned with Congress.
He contested the 2014 assembly polls as an independent and lost. In 2019, he fought on a JJP ticket and only two months later, has shown his rebellious streak.
