Indian National Lok Dal

Indian National Lok Dal, a political party in India, based in the state of Haryana is the principal opposition party in Haryana. The party president is Om Prakash Chautala. Ajay Singh Chautala is its Secretary General. The party was a member of the National Democratic Alliance, and thus part of the BJP-led government. In the Lok Sabha elections 1999 INLD had an electoral alliance with BJP in Haryana. Each party contested five of the ten seats in the state. All ten got elected.

In 2000 Chautala was elected as Chief Minister of Haryana for the fifth time. In the 2000 state assembly elections in 2000 INLD won 47 out of the 90 seats (in total the party had 62 candidates). Later INLD broke its relation with BJP, and left NDA and the government. In the Lok Sabha elections 2004, the party contested all ten seats in Haryana on their own. None of the INLD candidates got elected.

However, in the 2005 Haryana state assembly elections, INLD lost its majority, winning just 9 out of the 90 seats compared to the Congress party's 67 seats. However INLD is gaining popularity in Haryana. The party also have 4 MLAs in Rajasthan Assembly.

The INLD has joined the United National Progressive Alliance along with other parties like the TDP, AGP and AIADMK snd the Samajwadi Party. But with the SP supporting the Congress on the Nuclear Deal issue, the UNPA is now divided. It is being speculated that the INLD will return to the NDA for the 2009 elections.

References

*http://www.inld.org.in