Out of power for over a decade, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) is using the Satluj Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to gain some of its lost ground in Haryana politics by taking an aggressive stand on this contentious issue.

Though the party's much-hyped call for re-digging the defunct Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal on Punjab border ended on Thursday without success, it did help the party in re-asserting itself as the main Opposition party in the state presently ruled by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), which once used to be  INLD's junior partner.

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Taking up this emotive issue of water in the agrarian state, the INLD has made it clear that it will not end its 'struggle' to get Haryana its share of river water from Punjab at any cost. With this, the 'regional party' has  gained some momentum on an issue, whereas its main rivals BJP and the Congress find it difficult to take an aggressive stand on the matter due to their political stake in  the neighboring Punjab.

After the SYL, the INLD next intends to take up another emotive issue concerning Haryana – the state’s right over its joint Capital with Punjab, Chandigarh. Punjab political parties claim sole right over Chandigarh as its Capital but Haryana maintains it has equal right over the joint Capital.

With top INLD leaders including chief O P Chautala and his son Ajay Chautala behind bars in a recruitment scam, the Jat-dominated party have been finding it difficult to get going.

As the INLD's ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is expected to be voted out of power in Punjab, the party can now afford to take an aggressive stand on contentious issues.

Under the leadership of O P Chautala, the INLD last ruled Haryana in 2004 and has lost three consecutive Assembly elections to the Congress (2005 and 2009) and the BJP (2O14). While the party has 19 legislators in the state Assembly and a Lok Sabha member, late Devi Lal's party currently has no representation in the Rajya Sabha.

With the BJP gains from consolidation of non-Jat votes in its favour and state's influential Jat community's votes largely divided between the INLD and the Congress, even the hopes of Jat-centric INLD returning to power remain bleak. But by taking up Haryana's issues, the INLD is trying to expand its shrinking vote bank.