Barring a few embarrassments on the legal front, the ruling Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) enjoyed a smooth ride on the back of a divided Opposition in the year gone by in Haryana. The main opposition Congress, crippled by infighting between party's state unit chief Bhajan Lal and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, failed to capitalise on weak areas of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala-led goverment.
Towards the end of the year, verdicts of the court on the infamous primary teachers scam and cold blooded murder of a scribe caused concern for the political masters.
The opposition found something to smile about as they had been levelling allegations about recruitments being made in the state on considerations other than merit under the present regime after the apex court ordered a CBI probe into the appointment of 4000 primary teachers in the state in year 2000.
The suspended IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar emerged as a hero for his stand of having not given in to the immense political pressure to "change" the original selection list with that prepared by his political bosses allegedly at the behest of Chautala.
Chautala, comfortably placed in the state assembly, did not take the "Paper Tigers" (opposition) too seriously and went ahead with the implementation of VAT regime despite strong protests. The entire opposition, including the former chief minister Bansi Lal-led Haryana Vikas Party, faced severe criticism from Chautala for their alleged failure to play a constructive role.
Chautala proved a point when INLD retained the seat in the Fatehabad byelection albeit with a narrow margin and once again the runner-up Congress' divided house was blamed for this.
The icing on the cake for Chautala came when his party bagged four seats in the Rajasthan elections thus belieing the opposition's claims that inld would meet the same fate it had in the previous UP election.
Facing charges of rioting among other charges, jailed farmer leader and state chief of BKU Ghasi Ram Nain got a reprieve from the apex court while firebrand leader and Chautala's bete noir Karan Singh Dalal and his family members were acquitted in a murder case. Firebrand leader and lone Republican Party of India MLA Dalal was vocal against the Chief Minister in and outside the Assembly. He had accused Chautala of registering several false cases against him.
Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered a CBI probe into the death of a Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chatterpati, who is believed to have earned wrath of a dera head for exposing his misdeeds. The Chautala government came under fire from opposition for allegedly unleashing vendetta and framing them in false cases.
Former Union Minister and MLA from Barwala, Jai Prakash, who once spearheaded the green brigade of former Deputy Prime Minister and Chautala's father Devi Lal, and Rao Narbir Singh, a self-styled leader of Ahirwal community in southern Haryana, found themselves landing in jail for allegedly protesting against Chautala's functioning. Haryana government's much-hyped project to open casinos to attract investment in the state also failed to take off after Governor's refusal to give his consent.
The government also earned wrath from several quarters for being soft on hardcore prisoners by planning to release them before they had completed their sentences.
It was also a year of coalition blues as the INLD-BJP in Haryana did not see eye-to-eye. Haryana BJP's former president R L Kataria went to the extent of saying that it was only a marriage of convenience as INLD was supporting the saffron party led NDA at the centre.
The new state BJP chief Ganeshi Lal said that he would go by the wishes of the party high command on their tie-up in Haryana.
The year began on a sad note as Haryana lost its beloved girl Kalpana Chawla in the Columbia shuttle crash in February. The Karnal girl did the state proud and little wonder why every girl of her town wants to emulate her.
On the development side, the government, like every year, announced sops on Devi Lal's birthday on September 25. After ‘Devi Rupak’ of last year, it was "Devi Rashak" this year. The social-security-oriented scheme was launched by Chautala in Karnal. There was also good news for class III and class IV employees working on an ad hoc basis.
Several power projects were commissioned and a large number of developmental works were carried out under the "Sarkar Aapke Dwar" (government at your doorstep) programme. Steps were also taken to enable common masses avail maximum benefit from e-governance.
The Chief Minister went touring several states and countries to attract the much-needed investments. The government promise to make Gurgaon a favourite destination of entrepreneurs.
Good rains this year also brought cheers on the faces of farmers, who had been hit by worst drought in many years last year.
However, there was no good news on the SYL canal as the fate of "lifeline of farmers" remained unresolved.
The year witnessed the visit of high-profile personalities including President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam and Prince of Wales Prince Charles.
It was a year that brought lakhs of pilgrims to Kurukshetra in July end on the eve this millennium's first solar eclipse.