Haryana : BJP suffers set back as JJP declares to support congress, to bring down the BJP government

Independent MLAs Sombir Sangwan (Dadri), Randhir Singh Golan (Pundri) and Dharmapal Gondar (Neelkhedi) on Tuesday dealt a blow to the BJP by announcing that they would withdraw support from the Naib Saini government and support the Congress. The Congress then claimed that the Saini government was in a minority in the state assembly and demanded President's rule.

The sharp turn in the political scene in the state comes at a time when the Lok Sabha polls are just 15 days away and state assembly polls are slated for October. JJP leader Dushyant Chautala while talking to reporters in Hisar said that if a no-confidence motion is brought against the Saini government, they will vote against the government.

Dushyant Chautala said, "I want to tell Leader of Opposition Bhupendra Singh Hooda that given the current numbers in the assembly, if any steps are taken to topple this government during the Lok Sabha elections, we will support him from outside." "Now the Congress has to think whether it will take steps to topple the BJP government or not," he said.

He also ruled out the possibility of his party re-aligning with the BJP. The two parties broke the alliance in March. Chautala said, "I have made it absolutely clear that the JJP will no longer go with the BJP." He demanded that CM Naib Saini prove his majority or submit his resignation.

The current number of members in the 90-member Legislative Assembly of Haryana is 88. Karnal and Rania assembly seats are vacant. There are 40 BJP MLAs, 30 Congress and 10 JJP MLAs in the House. Indian National Lok Dal (INLO) and Haryana Lokhit Party have one member each and six independent MLAs. The government also has the support of two independent MLAs.

Congress' Haryana unit chief Uday Bhan said the party will write to the governor to inform the governor that the Saini government is in a minority after three independent MLAs withdrew their support and should be dismissed,to impose president's rule the state and afresh.

He said elections should be announced. He also asked JJP, INLO and independent MLA Balraj Kundu to write a similar letter to the Governor to give credibility to their claims of opposing the BJP.

However, to a question in Chandigarh, Haryana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gyan Chand Gupta said that the Saini government had won the trust vote on March 13. He said, "How can we say that the government is in minority?" It is intact and functioning as before." Asked whether a no-confidence motion could be brought against the government, the Speaker said, "Usually when a no-confidence motion is brought, the second one is moved. It can be brought only after six months. It is a technical matter.''

Assembly elections in Haryana are slated for October while by-elections for Karnal Assembly will be held on May 25 with polling on 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Saini, MP from Kurukshetra in the outgoing Lok Sabha, is BJP's candidate for the assembly by-election and if he wins, the party's strength in the assembly will increase to 41.