BJP seals Haryana deal, JJP gets deputy CM post
ML Khattar to meet governor today to stake his claim for govt formation
NEWDELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reached an agreement on Friday night to form a coalition government in Haryana with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) of Dushyant Chautala – who emerged as a major swing force in the October 21 assembly elections – and cobbled up the support of independent legislators and smaller formations to cement a second term in office.
A day after emerging as the single largest party in the state assembly, but falling short of a simple majority, incumbent chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is now comfortably poised for a second stint and Chautala seemingly set for the post of deputy CM.
The BJP-JJP pact was announced after Chautala met BJP president Amit Shah and working president JP Nadda in New Delhi at the end of a day of fast-moving political developments after the ruling party ended up with 40 seats in the 90-member Haryana assembly, six seats short of a simple majority. The fledgling JJP won 10 seats, and its support would assure the government of a certain degree of stability.
“It was necessary for the BJP and the JJP to come together to give the state a stable government,” Chautala, seated alongside the BJP leaders at a 9.30pm news briefing, said. “Our party decided that for the betterment of the state, it is important to have a stable government.”
The 31-year-old Chautala, who formed the JJP after splitting from the INLD, has emerged as a force to reckon with.
Minister of state for finance Anurag Thakur first arrived at the residence of Chautala and took him along in his vehicle to Shah’s residence. There, the JJP chief met Shah and other leaders of the BJP, including Khattar.
“Accepting the mandate by the people of Haryana, the leaders of both parties have decided that the BJP and JJP will form the government together in Haryana. The chief minister will be from the BJP and the deputy CM from the JJP,” the BJP chief said. “The independent MLAs have also extended their support to us.”
Khattar, who is expected to be elected as the party’s legislative leader on Saturday, said that he would meet the Haryana governor the same day to stake his claim for government formation.
Earlier in the day, Chautala had kept his options open for aligning either with the Congress or BJP, insisting that neither party is “untouchable.” “We haven’t spoken to anyone... the key still lies with the JJP for a stable government in Haryana,” Chautala said.
The focus of Haryana politics shifted on Friday to Delhi, where the ruling party was quick to tap all possible sources of support. There are seven independents in the assembly, in which the INLD has one seat; and Gopal Kanda, a controversial leader accused of abetting the suicide of a woman who accused him of harassment, is the sole representative of his party, the Haryana Lokhit Party.
It was necessary for the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Jannayak Janta Party to come together to give the state a stable government. DUSHYANT CHAUTALA, JJP leader