BJP gets tough on HJC, seeks new terms on alliance

Prior to the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and HJC had agreed to contest equal number of seats in the 90-member Assembly and project HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi as chief ministerial candidate.

Anil Jain, secretary and co-incharge of Haryana BJP affairs, said at Rohtak today that Bishnoi should forget the 45-seat agreement.
“Bishnoi should be logical. There is no question of giving him 45 seats in the present circumstances. He should decide on the issue as we are in favour of continuing the alliance. The ball is in Bishnoi’s court,” he said.

It is evident that Jain emerged stronger after mediating between the party and rebel Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Birender Singh.

It was Jain who had arranged a meeting between Singh and BJP president Amit Shah, where they settled terms of Singh’s joining the BJP. Supporters of Singh have already started projecting him as CM candidate. Singh has been served a notice over his meeting with Shah, to which he is yet to reply. However, state BJP chief Ram Bilas Sharma said after the core committee meeting that the party was in favour of an alliance.

The HJC is also getting restless. Sources said Bishnoi is ready to compromise on seat share to an extent, but not ready to give up on the chief minister post. “I have followed the alliance dharma. But certain forces are trying to ditch me. I have been deceived in the past but people of the state will teach all such forces a lesson in the coming elections,” Bishnoi said. He said that party workers should be ready to contest all 90 seats.