Manohar Lal Khattar will take oath as Chief Minister of Haryana tomorrow along with Jannayak Janta Party’s Dushyant Chautala, who will be sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister. “We have stake claim to form government in Haryana. Governor has accepted our proposal and invited us to form government on Sunday. Tomorrow at 2:15 PM oath taking ceremony will be held at Raj Bhavan. Dushyant Chautala will take oath as Deputy CM,” Mr Khattar said after meeting the Governor.
Dushyant Chautala’s party, which has 10 seats in the 90-member assembly, has sealed an alliance with the BJP, which managed to get only 40 seats this time. The announcement of the deal was made by BJP President Amit Shah on Friday. Seven independent legislators have also lent support to the BJP.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who accompanied Mr Khattar to the Governor’s residence said that the BJP government will provide a smooth government with support from the JJP and independent legislators. He also made it clear that the BJP will not take support from controversial MLA Gopal Kanda. “I want to clarify one thing that the BJP is not going to take the support of Kanda,” he said.
Gopal Kanda, who is accused of abetting the suicide in 2012 of an airhostess who worked for his aviation company, Geetika Sharma, had pledged his “unconditional support” to help the BJP cross the 46-seat majority mark in the 90-member house. Photos of Kanda and another independent MLA on a special plane were in wide circulation online yesterday, prompting criticism from the opposition as well as senior BJP leader Uma Bharti.
The controversy finally settled down after BJP President Amit Shah on Friday announced that the BJP will form the government with support from Dushyant Chautala’s party.
“Keeping in mind the mandate of the people, leaders of BJP and JJP have decided that the two parties will form a government in Haryana together. The Chief Minister will be from the BJP and the deputy chief minister will be from JJP,” BJP President Amit Shah announced at a news briefing, flanked by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Kahttar and Dushyant Chautala.
As per the current strength, the coalition government will have 57 seats in the 90-member assembly – apart from JJP which has 10 seats, seven Independents have also lent support to the BJP, which ended up with 40 seats this time.
“In order to provide a stable government, we have decided that BJP and JJP will ally in Haryana. Haryana has seen coalitions earlier too. The work on this coalition government will begin on Saturday,” ML Khattar said.
Mr Chautala said his party believed the alliance was necessary for stability in Haryana.
“Haryana needs transformation. BJP and JJP will have to work together to ensure that Haryana moves ahead in a ‘progressive’ manner. Further decisions would be taken after meeting the Governor. Progress and development of state the objective,” said Mr Chautala, who is likely to be deputy chief minister in the new government.
