HARYANA CRISIS: CAN CONGRESS OVERTHROW BJP GOVT AS IT FACES MINORITY STATUS?

Haryana is in a crisis with the Nayab Singh Saini-led NDA government reduced to a minority after three Independent MLAs withdrew their support on Tuesday. Following the announcement, the Congress demanded that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini resign immediately. 

The shock to the BJP came when, on Tuesday, three Independent MLAs – Sombir Sangwan (Dadri), Randhir Singh Gollen (Pundri) and Dharampal Gonder (Nilokheri) – who have supported the saffron party since 2019, withdrew their support, bringing the BJP's majority to a minority in the 90-member (two seats are vacant) Assembly. 

The halfway mark is 45, and the NDA currently has 43 MLAs. The government needs the support of two more members to continue holding the reins of the government. The three independent MLAs who withdrew support said they would back the Congress in the Lok Sabha 2024 polls.

How do numbers look in the Haryana Assembly? The BJP has 40 members in the current Assembly (after the resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar as Karnal MP). Since three Independent MLAs withdrew their support, the saffron party now enjoys the backing of only two. That's 42! Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) MLA Gopal Kanda also extended his support to the BJP, pushing the BJP's number to 43 – two short of majority.

Congress has 30 MLAs. Since a political realignment had occurred amid BJP-JJP differences, Dushyant Chautala is willing to extend his party's support to the grand old party. “I want to tell Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda that going by the present numbers in the Assembly, if a step is taken that this government is brought down during (Lok Sabha) elections, then we will fully consider to support them in this. Now, the Congress has to think whether they will take a step to bring down the BJP government,” Dushyant Singh Chautala said.

With JJP's 10 MLAs and three Independents, Congress would hold 43 MLAs in its kitty.

Independent MLA Balraj Kundu also claims to be opposing the government. If he extends support to Congress, the party will have 44 MLAs – one short of the crossing the half-way mark.

Does Om Prakash Chautala hold the key? Om Prakash Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has just one MLA in the Assembly. If INLD supports the BJP, it would result in a hung Assembly with 44 MLAs on both sides. But if Om Prakash Chautala supports the Congress, the grand-old party needs to show the letter of support to the Governor to form the next government. 

How is Congress working this out? With the support of three Independent MLAs, JJP's 10 legislators and if independent Balraj Kundu, too, extends his support to the grand-old party, Congress will have to reach out to INLD to pull them to its side. 

Congress is, however, seeking the imposition of a President's Rule and fresh Assembly elections in Haryana. It has also requested that JJP and others write to the governor.

“We are going to write to the Governor that three Independent MLAs have withdrawn support, and they have extended support to our party... the government is in the minority, and they have no right to stay in power. We will demand that the government be dismissed, President's Rule be imposed, and fresh elections be held,” Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan said.

“Likewise, the JJP should also write a letter stating that the government be dismissed. INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala and Independent MLA Balraj Kundu, who claim to be opposing the government, should also write similar letters to the Governor,” senior Congress leader BB Batra added.

2024-05-08T11:40:42Z dg43tfdfdgfd