After BJP-JJP tie-up in Haryana, CM Khattar to meet Governor today, stake claim to form govt

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar (Photo: IANS)


After the BJP-JJP alliance deal, Manohar Lal Khattar, who is all set to become the chief minister of Haryana for the second consecutive term, will meet Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya in Chandigarh on Saturday to stake claim to form the government.

A meeting of BJP Legislative Party will be held later today at UT Guest house in Chandigarh. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP General Secretary Arun Singh will be present as observers.

Incumbent Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday is likely to be elected as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislature Party and will then meet the Governor to stake claim to form the government.

The party will stake claim for the formation of the next government in alliance with the less than 12-month old Jannayak Janata Party (JJP)-led by Dushyant Chautala.

BJP emerged as the single-largest party in Haryana with 40 seats but stopped six short of simple majority. The JJP, which broke away from the state’s once major regional Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) owing to family disputes, won 10 seats, while the Congress won 31 seats.

The BJP, which had secured the support of seven Independents as well as former minister Gopal Kanda, decided not to include the latter’s name in the list of MLAs supporting it, after the party faced large-scale ire on social media for taking his support. Kanda is accused abetting the suicides of his then airline’s employee, Geetika Sharma, in 2012, and her mother early next year.

On Friday night, BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah announced the formation of a coalition government with the JJP in Haryana. It has also been decided that Dushyant Chautala will be the Deputy Chief Minister.

With Dushyant Chautala’s decision to align with the BJP, the Chautala clan is making a comeback to power after 15 years, when the JJP leader’s grandfather Om Prakash Chautala was defeated by the Congress in the 2004 elections.

According to reports, after the oath-taking ceremony, a new Cabinet is expected after Diwali — on Sunday.