Haryana Lokhit Party member Gopal Kanda and other seven independent candidates are giving ‘unconditional’ (seriously?) support to BJP, thus helping Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar re-form government after the hung assembly polls.
The counting of Haryana Assembly elections saw a hung election verdict with BJP winning 40 seats out of 90 and congress stands on 31. The election scenario might not have been in BJP’s favour last night, but today, the auspicious ‘Dhanteras’ morning turned to be an astounding one.
Seven independent candidates and Haryana Lokhit Party headed by Gopal Kanda offered support to BJP. This helps BJP cross the halfway mark in Haryana’s 90 seats and help Manohar Lal Khattar stay on for a second term as the state’s chief minister.
Dhanteras blessings for BJP
HLP’s Gopal Kanda told media that he and seven other independent candidates have decided to support BJP’s claim unconditionally. Kanda also praised Prime Minister Modi’s leadership claiming it has sent the country on the path of development. He based his support on the trust that the same ethos of apparent development will be extended to Haryana.
Likewise, 3 out of 7 independent candidates including Ranjit Singh (brother of former CM O.P. Chautala) were also present at the meet. Singh also announced his unconditional support to the BJP. 5 out of 7 independent candidates who emerged victorious were considered BJP rebels. However, they appear to now be supporting the BJP after a late-night meeting with working president JP Nadda.
However, nothing is official from BJP as yet
While there is no official announcement from BJP regarding the support of independent MLAs, CM Khattar, after a meet in Delhi’s Haryana Bhawan, asserted that BJP is going to form the government. So, with support from independents, BJP will count 48 seats in Haryana Legislative Assembly. However, another newly formed power bloc in Haryana holds the key.
Dushyant Chautala, leader of Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and Chaudhary Devi Lal’s lineage won 10 seats in his poll debut. Consequently, Chautala has emerged as a kingmaker. In today’s press conference he categorically announced two demands. Firstly, Chautala wants 75% of public sector jobs reserved only for Haryana citizens. Secondly, he wants a guarantee for a pension proposal tabled by his party. Consequently, the party who agrees to these two points, be it BJP or Congress will get JJP’s mandate.
Update: JJP joins hands with BJP
Last evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced at a press conference that his party BJP and Dushyant Chautala-led JJP will form the coalition government in Haryana. Chautala to be the Deputy CM of Haryana.
Chautala said that it is necessary to have a stable government in Haryana and our alliance will bring it.
However, the coalition is seen as BJP trying to please the Jats who believed to have voted against the BJP. The BJP government in 2016 took a dig over the Jats reservation that enraged the whole community against the ruling government.
This comes as a blow to many of Chautala’s voters who believe that JJP has undone the Haryana people and largely the Jat community.
According to some reports, Khattar and Chautala will take the oath tomorrow on Diwali (27th Oct) at 2 pm. All the party members are in Chandigarh to meet the state governor and will claim to form the government.
