As the Lok Sabha elections loom on the horizon, fractures within the ruling coalition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Haryana have come to the forefront. Independent MLA Nayan Pal Rawat asserted on Tuesday that while the alliance teeters on the brink, independent MLAs supporting Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s government will ensure its survival.
Rawat, who was elected from Prithla constituency as an independent candidate in the 2019 Haryana Legislative Assembly election, disclosed discussions with the Chief Minister, indicating the initiation of the alliance’s dissolution process. He emphasized the support extended to the CM-led government by independent MLAs, including himself, amid growing tensions within the coalition.
Echoing Rawat’s sentiments, fellow independent MLA Dharampal Gonder affirmed the support of independent MLAs for the BJP-led government. Gopal Kanda, representing the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP), concurred that the alliance with JJP is strained but expressed confidence in BJP’s ability to secure all 10 Lok Sabha seats from the state independently.
The BJP, with 41 MLAs in the 90-member Haryana Assembly, further benefits from the support of 5 independent MLAs and HLP MLA Gopal Kanda. However, the current political landscape indicates a potential rift between the alliance partners.
In response to the brewing discord, sources reveal that the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) has convened a meeting in Delhi, chaired by Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala. Chautala’s return of the government carcade is seen as a symbolic gesture hinting at the alliance’s deteriorating state.
Adding to the political turbulence, former BJP MP Brijendra Singh from Haryana’s Hisar recently defected to the Congress, further complicating the electoral dynamics in the state.
With Lok Sabha polls anticipated between April and May this year, the evolving political landscape in Haryana hints at significant shifts in alliances and strategies as parties gear up for electoral battles ahead.
