Haryana’s Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, along with his cabinet members, tendered their resignations on Tuesday, March 12. This move comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initiates the process of forming a fresh government in collaboration with independent candidates. Following Khattar’s resignation, Nayab Singh Saini has been chosen by BJP as the new Chief Minister of Haryana.
Reports suggest that the BJP will formally announce Saini’s appointment shortly following its legislative party gathering, currently underway at Haryana Niwas in Chandigarh’s Sector 3. Union Minister Arjun Munda and BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh have been appointed as central observers to facilitate a seamless transition of power.
While an official statement is awaited, the immediate catalyst for this resignation appears to stem from the disintegration of the BJP’s four-and-a-half-year alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP). The JJP, a product of a split in the Chautala family’s Indian National Lok Dal, initially contested against the BJP in the last assembly elections but later joined forces to form a coalition government.
Alleged discrepancies in seat distribution for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are believed to have exacerbated tensions within the BJP-JJP alliance, which has been strained for the past six months. Sources also suggest internal discontent within the BJP’s Haryana cadre regarding the alliance with the JJP.
Speculations abound that the BJP’s decision to sever ties with the JJP and establish a new administration in Haryana was motivated by a desire to combat anti-incumbency sentiments ahead of the general elections. Additionally, the move seems strategic, aimed at fragmenting the dominant Jat vote bank by leaving the JJP to vie with the Congress for Jat votes.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP clinched all ten parliamentary seats in the state. However, replicating this electoral feat poses a formidable challenge for the party.
Haryana Future looks bleak
With Nayab Singh Saini’s appointment as the new Chief Minister, the BJP seeks to address mounting dissatisfaction with Khattar, who has helmed the state for nine-and-a-half years. The party hopes that this change in leadership will bolster its chances of retaining power.
In a bid to secure a majority, the BJP, which currently holds 41 seats in the 90-member state assembly, has garnered support from five independent MLAs. Additionally, Gopal Kanda, the Sirsa MLA and President of the Haryana Lokhit Party, has pledged support to the BJP.
Kanda affirmed, “I believe the alliance (BJP-JJP) has practically dissolved. Even without the JJP, the Haryana government will endure, with all independent candidates rallying behind the BJP.”
Sources hint that several independent MLAs may be rewarded with cabinet positions in the forthcoming BJP government.
Confirming the resignations, BJP leader Kanwar Pal Gujjar disclosed that the Chief Minister and cabinet ministers have stepped down, and their resignations have been accepted by the governor. The party’s next course of action will be determined post the legislative party meeting.
