Senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala played down an apparent rift within the Chautala family Friday, saying his nephews Dushyant and Digvijay are "our children", but asserted that anyone violating the party discipline will face action.
The rift within the Chautala family came to the fore Thursday, when INLD president Om Prakash Chautala dissolved the party's student and youth wings headed by Dushyant and Digvijay respectively.
Abhay Singh Chautala is the younger son of Om Prakash Chautala.
Dushyant and Digvijay are sons of Ajay Singh Chautala, Abhay's elder brother.
"There are no differences with Dushyant (and Digvijay), they are our children," Abhay Singh Chautala said.
However, he added, "discipline is our party's biggest strength. If any person violates that, party will take action."
At a press conference at his home in Chandigarh to address questions on the apparent rift, he said he had no knowledge whether Dushyant Chautala, INLD lawmaker from Hisar Lok Sabha seat, had been suspended from the party.
The dissolution of student and youth wings of the INLD Thursday came after a group of youths reportedly hooted out Abhay Singh Chautala and cheered for Dushyant Chautala at a rally in Gohana on October 7.
The Gohana rally was organised to commemorate the 105th birth anniversary of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal.
Abhay Singh Chautala said the student and youth wings were asked to ensure a smooth conduct of the rally. "When they failed, Chautala Sahab took the step."
Digvijay Chautala has been maintaining that only Indian National Students Organisation founder Ajay Singh Chautala could dissolve the wing.
Abhay Singh Chautala said, "INSO is a part of our party, everyone knows it well and they hold all their programmes under the party flag. Chautala Sahab is fully authorised to take any decision in this regard. Now, who is saying what, does not matter".
Asked about the INLD chief also effecting a restructuring in the party, Abhay Singh Chautala said party leaders at a meeting on October 3 in Gurgaon authorised O P Chautala to carry out changes in the organisation.
"It is for him (O P Chautala) to see what task he has to entrust to whom in the party organisation and who has to be relieved of what duty. Those who worked hard, they were again entrusted with various responsibilities and those who failed to perform...they were asked to give chance to others.
"(And) because this is an election year...he effected the changes," he stressed.
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