Chandigarh: In a significant political development, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, along with his cabinet, resigned on Tuesday, March 12, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initiated the process for forming a new government in collaboration with independent candidates.
According to sources, the BJP is expected to announce Khattar’s replacement soon after its legislative party meeting, which has commenced at Haryana Niwas in Sector 3 of Chandigarh.
Two central party observers – Union minister Arjun Munda and BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh – have already arrived to oversee the smooth transition of government.
While official word is yet to be out, the immediate trigger appears to be the collapse of the BJP’s four-and-a-half-year alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP).
JJP, which emerged from a split in the Chautala family of the Indian National Lok Dal, fought the last assembly election against the BJP but later came on board to form an alliance after the latter fell short of majority.
The differences in seat allotment for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls are believed to be the core reason for the rift in the BJP-JJP alliance, which has been under strain for the past six months.
However, sources indicate that the BJP Haryana cadre was also discontent with the alliance with the JJP.
Many believe that the BJP’s recent decision to split from the JJP and form a new government was done to counter anti-incumbency in the upcoming general elections. The move was also aimed at splitting the dominant jat votes by leaving the JJP on its own and let it compete with the Congress for jat votes.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP won all 10 parliamentary seats in the state. But it remains a challenge for the party to repeat its last election performance.
Note that immediately after the general election, Haryana will hold assembly polls.
With a possible change in leadership, BJP will also try to neutralise the growing unpopularity against Khattar, who has been chief minister for the last nine-and-a-half years, and hope that a Gujarat-like move will help them stay in power.
It is learnt that the BJP also changed government months before the Gujarat assembly polls.
Independents extend support
BJP, which currently has 41 MLAs in the 90-member state assembly, needs support of five more MLAs to remain in power.
Sources said all five independent MLAs have already extended support to the BJP. Besides, Sirsa MLA and President-Haryana Lokhit Party, Gopal Kanda, too, extended support to the party.
Kanda, in a media statement, said, “I think the alliance (BJP-JJP) has almost broken. Even without the JJP, the Haryana government will stay, and all independent candidates will continue to support the BJP. ”
Sources said that many of these independents may be rewarded with a cabinet berth in the new BJP government.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Kanwar Pal Gujjar confirmed that the chief minister and cabinet ministers have resigned, and the governor has accepted the resignations. The next move will be determined after the legislative party meeting.
