Dushyant Chautala’s mother likens rebel Anoop Dhanak, who joined BJP, to ‘snake’

Naina Chautala, former MLA of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and mother of Haryana’s ex-Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, slammed BJP leader Anoop Dhanak for quitting JJP just days ahead of the October 5 Assembly polls and called him a “black cobra (snake).”
While inaugurating the campaign office of JJP candidate Krishan Gangwa in Adampur, she said, “We gave Anoop love and respect, but even a two-faced snake is better than him. At least with a snake, you know where it will strike. God gave Anoop the face of a black cobra, and he turned out to be just that — a cobra. He sold out like cattle at a market.”
Elected as a JJP candidate in the 2019 Haryana Assembly elections, Dhanak served as a Minister of State in the coalition government between the JJP and BJP. His allegiance to the Chautala family, especially Ajay Chautala and Dushyant Chautala, initially seemed unwavering. He was among the earliest supporters of Ajay Chautala when the JJP was established in December 2018, following a split from the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).
However, in a sudden shift ahead of the 2024 Assembly polls, Dhanak submitted his resignation from the JJP and joined the BJP, which had given him the ticket to contest upcoming polls from the Uklana constituency in Hisar district.
Naina Chautala also voiced her dissatisfaction with former JJP allies who have now aligned themselves with political rivals. She emphasised that the JJP had actively worked to elevate leaders from backward and scheduled castes, such as Dhanak, by providing them with leadership opportunities.
She added, “We left no stone unturned in giving respect to the SC and backward classes. We even made Anoop Dhanak a state minister. But no one wears a sign on their forehead that says they will stab you in the back. When someone stands with us, they are ours.”
Urging JJP supporters to campaign against Dhanak, she stated, “I remember seeing him when his sandals had holes in them, and today he walks with his head held high. If you have any relations in Uklana, I urge you to campaign against him and make sure he is defeated, so he knows the consequences of betraying the Devi Lal family.”
Elections for Haryana’s 90 Assembly seats are slated to be held on October 5, the results of which will be declared on October 8.