With the expected resignation of state Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his Cabinet today, the political climate in Haryana is expected to undergo a dramatic upheaval. This planned action is due to the state’s alliance between the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) potentially breaking apart, as per a report. As of right now, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and Union Minister Arjun Munda are visiting Chandigarh as observers to evaluate the situation.
Potential Successors and Political Maneuvering in Haryana
Numerous media reports suggest that Sanjay Bhatia or Nayab Saini could take Khattar’s place as the new chief minister today, Chief Minister Khattar summoned independent MLAs from Haryana who are supported by the government and the BJP. Based on the available information, the BJP can formulate a plan during this meeting regarding how to form the government with the help of independent MLAs. Conversely, JJP leader Dushyant Chautala has arranged a meeting with party MLAs for Tuesday in Delhi.
Following the October 2019 assembly elections, in which the BJP won 40 of the 90 assembly seats but fell short of a simple majority, the dynamics of the alliance were set. Following the election, a post-election alliance was formed with the JJP, which has ten MLAs. The president and co-founder of the JJP, Dushyant Chautala, joined the coalition government as the deputy chief minister.
Tension Brews in Haryana BJP-JJP Alliance Over Seat Sharing
Recent events suggest that there may be tension in the relationship as Chautala and BJP chief JP Nadda discussed seat sharing on March 11. The current negotiations are believed to have been impacted by the BJP’s notable victory in the 2019 General Elections, winning all ten Lok Sabha seats.
Despite the JJP’s demand for two seats in the Lok Sabha, reports indicate that the BJP’s Haryana leadership is hesitant to give the party any seats in the next elections. The JJP intends to run candidates for the Lok Sabha seats in Bhiwani-Mahendragarh and Hisar. On Sunday, Brijendra Singh, the current Hisar MP, defected from the BJP and joined the Congress.
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The development occurred around the time of this year’s April–May Lok Sabha Elections, which are scheduled for 2024. Additionally, reports suggested that the saffron party might field Karnataka’s Khattar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
