CHANDIGARH, DECEMBER 14: In a dramatic development, the Haryana assembly was dissolved today 18 months ahead of its term paving the way for mid-term elections barely four months after the Om Prakash Chautala ministry supported by BJP assumed power ousting the Bansi Lal government.Governor Mahabir Prasad dissolved the 90-member state assembly one-and-half years ahead of its term on the recommendation of the cabinet which unanimously favoured holding of fresh elections along with Bihar, Orissa and Manipur, which are scheduled to go to polls early next year.Chautala told reporters at a hurriedly-convened press conference that the cabinet took the decision to "fulfill the aspirations of the people who wanted fresh elections in the wake of the massive mandate to the INLD-BJP combine" which won all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in recent Lok Sabha polls.The cabinet decision to recommend dissolution of the house came after a series of meetings between Chautala, who is also president of Indian National Lok Dal and BJP central leadership in the last two weeks.The assembly dissolution came a day after Chautala had told reporters in Kurukshetra that his government would complete the remaining term of the house but said a decision in this regard depended on BJP leadership's view.In fact, shortly before the cabinet meeting, Chautala had a meeting with senior state BJP leader Ram Bilas Sharma and the Chief Minister later said Sharma favoured mid-term polls. Political observers said the BJP-INLD decision to go for mid-term elections was prompted by their perception that the ruling alliance could reap the benefit of internal troubles in Congress over the leadership of PCC president Bhupinder Singh Hooda and desertion-hit Haryana Vikas Party led by Bansi Lal.The INLD-BJP alliance had led in 85 of the 90 assembly segments when it swept all the ten Lok Sabha seats recently.The reading by INLD and BJP leadership was that the alliance could stand to gain before the Congress could reorganise itself, the observers said.Immediately after the cabinet meeting, Chautala rushed to Raj Bhawan with the recommendation which was accepted by Prasad who directed him to continue as caretaker Chief Minister.Previous elections to Haryana assembly were held in May 1996 which saw HVP-BJP coming to power under the leadership of Bansi Lal.BJP withdrew support to Bansi Lal on June 22 this year but the Congress extended support to bail out Bansi Lal. However, the HVP-Congress ties collapsed on July 21 when the latter withdrew support forcing Bansi Lal to resign.
