Haryana’s former deputy chief minister and ex-ally of Bharatiya Janata Party, Dushyant Chautala, has written to the Governor demanding a floor test in the Assembly after three independent MLAs withdrew their support to BJP in the coalition government in the state.
In his letter to the Haryana Governor, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Chautala said the resignations of the independent and withdrawal of support by three independent MLAs have pushed the ruling BJP alliance to a minority status.
“The government that was formed two months back is now in the minority… Three Independent MLAs who were supporting them have withdrawn their support… JJP has clearly said if a No Confidence Motion is brought against this Government, we will support the Motion. We have also written to the Governor about it,” Chautala said.
“Now, Congress has to take this step (seeking a Floor Test). The Governor has the power to order a Floor Test to see if the Government has the strength and if it doesn’t have the majority immediately implement President’s Rule in the state,” the JJP leader further said.
The Nayab Singh Saini-led Haryana government had been reduced to a minority after three independent MLAs – Sombir Sangwan (from Dadri), Randhir Singh Gollen (from Pundri), and Dharampal Gonder (from Nilokheri), cut support for the ruling BJP in the state.
They made the announcement during a press conference on Tuesday which was also attended by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, and Udai Bhan, the state Congress chief.
The 90-seat Haryana Assembly’s strength is reduced to 88 currently after two MLAs – former BJP CM Manohar Lal Khattar and independent MLA Ranjit Sinfh Chautala – resigned earlier to contest the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
The majority mark in the Haryana Assembly is currently at 45.
BJP has 40 MLAs supported by three out of six independent lawmakers, signalling that the ruling coalition is short of two MLAs to have the majority.
The party also claimed on Tuesday that four JJP MLAs may offer “tactical assistance to the government if needed”, taking its strength to 47.
The Congress party, meanwhile, claims 30 MLAs with its count increased by three independent candidates. If the JJP supports Congress, the grand old party’s tally would increase to 43 MLAs. This scenario leaves two MLAs unaligned-one from the Haryana Lokhit Party and the other from the INLD.
A couple of months back, the BJP severed ties with the JJP, whose 10 MLAs had helped it form the government in 2019. Of the JJP’s 10 MLAs, at least six have distanced themselves from Chautala.
Assembly polls in Haryana are due later this year. With the turn of political events, Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan demanded that state elections be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls on May 25.
“Saini has no right to stay in government for even a moment,” Bhan had said.
Meanwhile, CM Saini accused the Congress of engineering what had happened. “Some MLAs have some ambitions. These days, Congress is apparently fulfilling the desires (of such people). People understand this. They also know who has what ambitions. The Congress has nothing to do with the needs of the people. They care only about their ambitions,” he said.
With inputs from agencies
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