As BJP evaluates the future of its Haryana alliance, why Rajasthan is a factor

Sources said the national leadership initially signalled to the state team to find ways to prop up the Manohar Lal Khattar government without the JJP’s backing but reviewed its stand after taking into account the fierce electoral battle at hand in Rajasthan. The BJP does not want to antagonise the JJP, which has influence in some pockets in the Assembly constituencies in the border districts, said BJP insiders. The seven Rajasthan districts of Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Sikar, Jaipur, Alwar, and Bharatpur share borders with Haryana.

With the JJP keen on expanding its electoral footprint in neighbouring states, Chautala is expected to field candidates in at least 30-35 constituencies in Rajasthan and the BJP does not want to provoke its ally that has the potential to play spoiler in some of the constituencies. In an Idea Exchange programme with The Indian Express in August, Dushyant, the Deputy CM, said the party had prepared plans to contest about 30 seats in Rajasthan.

“In a tightly contested election, the smaller parties could divide the anti-incumbency votes and it has the potential to spoil our prospects. So, the BJP will have to ensure that the votes are not split,” said a BJP leader from Rajasthan.

But these compulsions are not likely to change the party’s stand on contesting all the parliamentary and Assembly seats in Haryana, which are currently held by the BJP. “(Union Home Minister) Amit Shah has already declared that the party will have its candidates in all the 10 seats. We have a strong organisation in the state, all 10 seats are with us, we have a good governance record, and a futuristic view to go to people to seek the mandate. People in every corner of Haryana love (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, which also will play in BJP’s favour,” former Tripura CM and BJP’s Haryana in-charge Biplab Kumar Deb told The Indian Express.

In June, Shah said at a public meeting in Sirsa, “Twice you people from Haryana have ensured Narendra Modi’s victory by giving all the 10 seats from the state. This time also I would like you to ensure that the lotus blooms in all 10 seats and ensure that the BJP wins over 300 seats in 2024.”

Alliance hiccups

Since they joined hands in 2019, there have been several hiccups in the BJP-JJP alliance and the leaderships of both parties have faced pressure to end it. Dushyant faced criticism from within his party during the 2020-’21 farmers’ agitation for continuing with the alliance and the fissures widened following the communal violence in Nuh district a couple of months ago. The Deputy CM and his party leaders publicly criticised the organisers of the “Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra” for not providing complete information to the district administration before the procession.

Lately, senior BJP leader Chaudhary Birender Singh has threatened to quit the party if it continues with the alliance and accused the JJP of indulging in corruption. BJP leaders did not dismiss Singh’s outburst against the JJP. Singh’s family and the Chautalas have vied for the Uchana Kalan Assembly constituency and the Hisar Lok Sabha seat for decades. “He did not say anything against the party (BJP). His attack was against JJP, so the BJP does not find anything wrong in it,” said a senior BJP leader involved with the party’s affairs in Haryana.

While Birendra Singh’s son Brijendra defeated Dushyant in Hisar in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, in the Assembly polls the Deputy CM defeated Birendra Singh’s wife Prem Lata from Uchana Kalan. The BJP has made it clear that it is in no mood to give up Uchana Kalan for the Chautalas, while the JJP wants its senior ally to respect coalition rules in the parliamentary elections too.

BJP leaders are confident of again sweeping the parliamentary polls in Haryana and argue that it would set it up for a strong showing in the state elections.