New Delhi: The political landscape in Haryana is experiencing a period of uncertainty following the resignations of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his cabinet on Tuesday morning. This comes after a split in the ruling alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) over failed seat-sharing negotiations for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
According to sources, there is a possibility that Mr. Khattar may make a comeback as the Chief Minister, potentially as early as 4 pm. He could lead a new government with the support of the BJP’s current tally of 41 seats in the 90-member Assembly, which would be further bolstered by the inclusion of five JJP MLAs – Jogi Ram Sihag, Ram Kumar Gautam, Ishwar Singh, Ramniwas, and Devinder Babli.
Sources also indicate that these five MLAs may form a separate group and align themselves with the BJP, although it is unlikely that they will be given ministerial positions. Additionally, the new government is expected to receive support from seven independent MLAs.
Nayan Rawat, an independent MLA, mentioned that our support has been extended, and we have also discussed election strategy. It seems that the process of breaking the alliance has begun.
A swearing-in ceremony is anticipated today, where a new Chief Minister and possibly two deputies will be sworn in. A legislature party meeting is set to happen soon, with National General Secretary Tarun Chugh and junior Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda sent to oversee the proceedings.
Although Mr. Khattar is considered the frontrunner, there are talks that he might be replaced to prevent potential anti-incumbency sentiments. Sources have indicated that Kurukshetra MP Nayab Singh Saini and Sanjay Bhatia, the Lok Sabha MP from Karnal, are also contenders.
It has been reported that feedback from BJP MLAs will be taken into account. Additionally, the BJP’s state leadership has expressed concerns about the JJP’s ability to secure crucial Jat community votes.
There is speculation that Haryana might appoint two Deputy Chief Ministers, each from distinct communities, mirroring the BJP’s strategy following its victories in the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh elections.
The BJP carefully selected three new chief ministers for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh last year, taking into account caste and community considerations, while also considering the upcoming Lok Sabha election, before introducing three relatively unknown leaders.
According to NDTV, the alliance between the BJP and JJP, which was formed after the 2019 Assembly election due to the absence of a clear mandate, has now collapsed. The breakdown occurred because the two parties could not reach an agreement on sharing Lok Sabha seats. While the JJP wanted to contest two out of the state’s 10 seats, the BJP was only willing to offer one seat. As a result, both parties have decided to contest the upcoming election independently.
During the 2019 election, the BJP emerged victorious in all 10 seats. On the other hand, Mr. Chautala’s newly formed party faced defeat in all seven of its contests but managed to secure a respectable vote share of 4.9 percent.
Khattar For Lok Sabha?
Additionally, there were rumors circulating that Mr. Khattar’s resignation might pave the way for his entry into the Lok Sabha elections from Mr. Bhatia’s constituency of Karnal. Sources suggest that Mr. Bhatia could potentially make a similar move in the opposite direction.
JJP’s Next Steps?
Mr Chautala has a range of options available to him, as both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are potential partners for a collaboration. Another possibility is the Indian National Lok Dal, which was established by the renowned farmer leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal and is currently led by his son Om Prakash. However, it is worth noting that the Congress and AAP, both members of the INDIA bloc, have already reached an agreement on seat-sharing in the state. According to this agreement, the Congress will be contesting nine seats, while AAP will focus on Kurukshetra.
Congress Growing In Haryana
The reshuffling of Haryana’s political landscape coincides with a potential strengthening of the Congress’ position in the state, which is also preparing for an upcoming Assembly election. Recently, Hisar MP Brijendra Singh made the decision to join the opposition party in the presence of Mallikarjun Kharge. Singh stated that he resigned from the primary membership of the BJP due to compelling political reasons. In the 2019 Assembly election, the Congress secured 31 seats, a significant increase from the 15 seats it had won five years prior. Although the national party failed to win any seats in the general election, it emerged as the runner-up to the BJP in all 10 constituencies and experienced a 5.5 percent rise in its vote share, reaching 28.5 percent.