SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Team Herald
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar tendered his resignation on Tuesday, just days before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to sources the frontrunners for the Chief Ministerial post within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are Nayab Saini and Sanjay Bhatia.
Amidst growing tensions and a reported rift between the two allies, the BJP scheduled a legislative party meeting in Chandigarh at 11:30 AM. Simultaneously, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala held a meeting of the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Delhi.
Reports suggest that some JJP MLAs skipped Chautala's meeting and are allegedly in contact with the BJP. Sources claim that at least four JJP MLAs are exploring the possibility of aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Earlier indications of strained relations emerged when Chautala met BJP National President JP Nadda to discuss seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Chautala had also sought a meeting with Amit Shah, but Khattar's sudden resignation preceded the speculated encounter.
The discord between the BJP and the Chautala-led JJP intensified following their failure to reach a seat-sharing agreement in Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls. It is noteworthy that the BJP had swept all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state during the 2019 polls.
Political Landscape and Future Scenarios in Haryana:
With the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon, scheduled in a month or two, and the term of the Haryana legislative assembly concluding on November 3, the state might witness assembly elections in October.
In 2019, the BJP fell short of the majority mark, prompting a coalition government with Dushyant Chautala's JJP. The Haryana legislative assembly, consisting of 90 members, requires 46 seats for a majority. Currently, the BJP holds 41 MLAs, supplemented by support from six independent MLAs. Additionally, Gopal Kanda's Haryana Lokhit Party also extends its support to the BJP.
The resignation of Chief Minister Khattar adds a new layer of complexity to the political dynamics in Haryana, raising questions about the future of the alliance between the BJP and JJP and its potential impact on both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
