Congress’s no-confidence motion against Saini-led BJP govt in Haryana defeated

In the absence of Congress MLAs, Speaker Harvinder Kalyan put the motion to vote, which was rejected after a five-hour debate that went on till 10.15 pm.

In the 90-member Haryana Vidhan Sabha, the ruling BJP has 48 MLAs, the Congress 37, the INLD two and three are Independents.

The Congress had raised issues such as the poor and dilapidated condition of sports facilities and equipment in complexes, alleged vote theft and the alleged misuse of government machinery by the ruling BJP to form the government in the October 2024 Assembly elections.

At the start of the chief minister’s speech, senior Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian, who had moved the motion, objected to some of Saini’s remarks. “Sometimes you call me old. That I do not walk like wrestlers, the way you do. But push me, and in two minutes I will strike, the head will be hit.” He added, “You are the leader of the House. In a democratic setup, a no-confidence motion is a very important step. You are not grasping its seriousness.”

Saini clarified that he did not use unparliamentary language, stating such expressions are common in the rural heartland. He insisted he had full respect for Kadian.

Opposing the motion, Minister Krishan Bedi said, “Three defeats have disturbed the mental balance of the Opposition.”

Forests and Environment Minister Rao Narender Singh said, “I cannot understand why the Congress legislators have brought a no-confidence motion against a government with a full majority, which has just completed 14 months. In my political career, I have seen such motions brought by the largest Opposition party only when there is a coalition government of two or three parties. I don’t know why they brought this one.”

INLD’s Arjun Chautala also questioned the seriousness of the Congress legislators, pointing out that some of them were not even present during the discussion on the motion.

Saini claimed that crime rates have declined sharply compared to the Congress era. “Compared to the Congress regime, murders have fallen by 12.75 per cent, dacoity incidents by 49.41 per cent, riots by 20.78 per cent and robberies by 10.52 per cent.”

Rejecting allegations of unemployment, the chief minister said nearly two lakh youths secured permanent government jobs purely on merit under the BJP government, compared to 86,000 during the Congress’s ten years of rule.

Responding to the Congress’s criticism of poor financial management, Saini said during their decade in power (2004-05 to 2014-15), debt liabilities rose by 458.30 per cent, while under the current government (2014-15 to 2024-25), the increase has been only 227.49 per cent—less than half of the previous period.

The chief minister said, “According to the 2025-26 budget estimates, the state’s fiscal deficit is projected at 2.67 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product, below the 3 per cent limit prescribed by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003.”

“Over the past decade, Rs 3,66,016 crore was paid towards debt servicing, including Rs. 1,61,796 crore in interest and Rs 2,04,220 crore as principal, all settled on schedule with no defaults, which reflects a sustainable debt position,” Saini added.