Haryana crisis: Congress submits memorandum to Governor, JJP MLA ‘warns’ Dushyant Chautala

The Congress on Friday stepped up its demand for fresh elections in Haryana, where the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government lost its majority after three independent MLAs withdrew their support.

In March, Saini, who also heads the BJP’s Haryana unit, succeeded ML Khattar as chief minister, and passed a floor test. Khattar has been fielded by the party from the Karnal parliamentary seat in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Here are the latest updates:

(1.) In a two-page memorandum to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, the Congress demanded dismissal of the “minority” Saini government, and fresh elections under President’s rule. It is “crystal clear” that the state government is in minority, the memorandum read.

(2.) In addition to the three legislators, another independent MLA, Balraj Kundu, had taken back his support “a couple of years ago,” the Congress pointed out. Kundu, the legislator from Meham, had accused then-CM Khattar of leading a “corrupt” administration.

(3.) On Friday, Kundu too wrote to the Governor, and sought President’s Rule. Noting that the Saini government is in a minority, he too called for a floor test through his letter.

(4.) The Congress, in its memorandum, said that as many as 45 members in the 90-seat assembly are opposed to the ruling camp, including 30 from the grand old party, 10 from Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), one from Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the four independents. The BJP, on the other hand, has 40 members, and is backed by two independents and Gopal Kanda of the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP).

(5.) The current strength of the 90-seat House stands at 88 as former CM Khattar, and Ranjit Chautala, a minister in the incumbent government, resigned from the House to contest Lok Sabha polls after being fielded by the BJP.

(6.) In another significant development, JJP MLA Devender Singh Babli has warned party leader and ex-deputy CM Dushyant Singh Chautala that the latter should not consider JJP as a “family party.” Babli and two other JJP legislators had met Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday.

(7.) Babli complained that Chautala did not consult the MLAs before writing to the Governor and seeking a floor test. “Parties work according to a democratic system. He (Dushyant) should not consider it as his family party as in addition to him and his mother, eight other leaders were elected in the 2019 Assembly polls,” the Tohana MLA stated.

(8.) In the October 2019 assembly polls, the BJP, which had won a single-party majority in the 2014 state polls and formed its first government here, emerged as the single-largest party. It then joined hands with the JJP; Manohar Lal Khattar became CM for a second time, and Dushyant Chautala, his deputy.

(9.) However, in March this year, the two sides went their separate ways. On Wednesday, a day after the the crisis began, he declared his backing for the Congress if it wanted to “bring down this government.”

(10.) Legislators Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Gollen, and Dharampal Gonder withdrew their support. They announced that they will campaign for the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections.