Haryana Government Formation Live Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal sharing a point during Deenbandhu Smriti Rally at Sampla in district Rohtak last year. (Express photo/File)
Haryana Government Formation Live Updates:
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is also in New Delhi to meet the BJP leadership, said he was "optimistic" of a second term. Party sources told The Indian Express that the oath-taking ceremony could be held as early as this evening.
A resurgent Congress led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed 31 seats and the newly formed Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) of Dushyant Chautala won 10. While Congress has asked the non-BJP outfits to join hands, Abhay Chautala's INLD has made it clear that it is going with the BJP.
In Haryana, as the results came in, it was seen that barring Khattar and Health Minister Anil Vij, all their five Cabinet colleagues, their party’s state unit chief and a minister of state, lost badly to either Congress or JJP candidates.
The Congress claimed more than double its tally of 15 in 2014, and the JJP opened its account by reaching double digits. The results came just five months after Haryana voted for the BJP in all the 10 Lok Sabha seats with huge margins.
It was initially expected that Dushyant Chautala, the son of Ajay Chautala and grandson of Om Prakash Chautala, would play the kingmaker in deciding the next government. But the BJP decided to go with the seven Independents and Gopal Kanda.
However, the inclusion of Kanda — he took a chartered flight with Ranjit Chautala to New Delhi Thursday evening to meet the BJP leadership — is bound to raise eyebrows.
Thursday’s result, however, was a severe indictment of the BJP’s poll strategy. Significantly, its “nationalism” pitch did not resonate at the ground level. While the BJP focussed on the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K and the Balakot air strikes, more than its governance, Congress and JJP highlighted core state-specific issues.
Timeline
September 21, 2019: EC Announces poll dates | October 23, 2019: Exit polls call it for BJP
Also Read:
Khattar’s second term banks on Independents and Kanda
Maharashtra, Haryana Assembly elections: How 303 plus 370 didn’t quite add up this time
What dented BJP in Haryana: Backlash in Jat stronghold
BJP chief Amit Shah and JJP’s Dushyant Chautala showing victory sign after forming post-poll alliance. (Source: ANI)
"We will meet the Governor tomorrow in Chandigarh to stake claim to form the govenment in state": Manohar Lal Khattar
"To give a stable govt to Haryana, it was important for BJP and JJP to come together. I would like to thank Amit Shah ji and Nadda ji. Our party had decided that for the betterment of the state it is important to have a stable government," says JJP leader Dushyant Chautala after BJP-JJP finalise alliance.
BJP leader Amit Shah confirms alliance with Dushyant Chautala's JJP. He also acknowledged that the chief ministerial candidate will be a BJP leader whereas a deputy chief minister will be appointed from JJP.
Priyanka Gandhi lashed out at the BJP for hobnobbing Gopal Kanda. "First Kuldip Sengar, then Nityanand, now Gopal Kanda....every self respecting Indian woman should boycott the BJP and its leaders if they EVER dare to speak of respecting women again," she tweeted.
JJP leader Dushyant Chautala is in Delhi and will meet Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in a while. Union Minister Anurag Thakur is also accompanying the JJP chief.
With abetment to suicide accused MLA Gopal Kanda extending support to the BJP in Haryana, the Congress on Friday alleged that the "Beti Bachao gang" of the saffron party is "shameless" as it boasts of having a woman finance minister and then accommodates "rapists". Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev, in a letter to BJP chief Amit Shah, said aligning with Kanda not only raises questions over the BJP's commitment to women's safety but also its morality. "The country's daughters are watching what is more important for you -- power or women's safety," she said in the letter posted on her Twitter handle. "Mahila Congress strongly condemns the alliance of the BJP and Kanda. The BJP indulges in doublespeak by talking about 'Beti Bachao' and there is a difference in its words and actions," Dev alleged. (PTI)
The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday slammed the BJP for seeking support of controversial MLA Gopal Kanda to form the government in Haryana, saying the saffron party is aligning with a rape accused in a state where it launched the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme. A day after the election results for the assembly polls in Haryana were declared, Kanda, who won the Sirsa seat, on Friday claimed that he and the Independents have "decided to extend unconditional support to the BJP". In 2012, a former air hostess, who was employed with Kanda's company, had committed suicide, accusing the Haryana Lokhit Party leader of harassment. Police, during its investigation, accused him of raping her and also charged him with abetment to her suicide. Her mother also later ended her life. Kanda was booked for abetting her suicide too. Senior AAP senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "In a state where 'Beti bachao beti padhao (BBBP) andolan' was launched, the BJP is seeking support from a rape accused." (PTI)
"Dushyant ji stated a few points in his press conference. As far as Common Minimum Programme is concerned, it's already provided in our manifesto - be it old age pension or 75 per cent job reservation for Haryanvis. If he has other suggestions, we're open to that. Now it's up to him," says Congress' Bhupinder Singh Hooda on JJP leader Dushyant Chautala's demands for an alliance.
Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), which emerged as the third political force in Haryana by winning 10 out of the 90 seats, said Friday that it would support any party that promises 75 per cent reservation for local youth in private jobs in the state. Striking a measured note, Chautala, who was chosen as the legislative party leader, made it clear that the party had not spoken to either BJP or Congress yet. Read more
"We have not spoken to anybody on this issue. We will support those who will provide jobs, although we haven't decided on whom to support yet," says Chautala on being asked which party will he support in Haryana.
"In the legislative party meet today, a resolution was passed that I will be the leader of the legislative party. All the 10 winning members have agreed to this," says Dushyant Chautala.
The BJP will hold its legislative party meeting tomorrow at 11 am to elect the Chief Minister of Haryana as it became clear that the party has the numbers needed to form its government in the state. With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP leader Arun Singh as observers, the party will later meet the Governor and stake claim to form the government.
Emerging as the key player who can help the BJP cobble up a new government in Haryana is Gopal Goyal Kanda, the lone MLA of the Haryana Lokhit Party, which he founded with his brother Govind Kanda in May 2014. Gopal Kanda won from the Sirsa Assembly constituency defeating independent candidate Gokul Setia, while his brother Govind was defeated by INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala’s estranged brother Ranjit Singh. Last evening, Gopal and Ranjit were picked up from Sirsa by BJP’s local MP Sunita Duggal and taken to New Delhi. Both have agreed to back the BJP. Read more
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and former Union Minister Uma Bharti warned the Haryana BJP over the hobnobbing of Gopal Kanda, an independent MLA who is accused in two suicide cases. "Victory in an election cannot exonerate Gopal Kanda. There are many factors involved in a win in an election… I would appeal to the BJP that it should not forget its principles," she tweeted. Read more
Eighty-four of the 90 newly elected Haryana MLAs are crorepatis, according to an analysis by poll watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). In the outgoing assembly, 75 of the 90 MLAs possessed assets worth more than Rs 1 crore, which means the number of crorepati legislators has increased by 10 per cent, the ADR report said. The average of assets per sitting MLA in Haryana is Rs 18.29 crore, while it was Rs 12.97 crore in 2014, it said. According to the ADR analysis, 37 of the 40 BJP MLAs and 29 of the 31 Congress legislators are crorepatis.
Five Independent MLAs, along with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and BJP's Haryana in-charge Anil Jain, met the party's working president, J P Nadda, at his residence here on Friday to finalise the modalities of government formation, PTI quoted sources as saying. The five Independent legislators -- Dharampal Gondan, Nayanpal Rawat, Sombir Sangwan, Rakesh Daulatabad and Randheer Golan -- met Nadda and extended their support to the saffron party, BJP leader Jawahar Yadav said. "These Independent MLAs reached J P Nadda's house with an intention to extend support to the BJP government," Yadav, who accompanied the MLAs, said.
BJP leader Uma Bharti tweeted: "I have received an information that we may also get the support of an independent MLA named Gopal Kanda. I have something to say on this — If Gopal Kanda is the same person because og whom a girl committed suicide and her mother also killed herself after not getting justice, the case is still pending in court, and this person is out on bail. The law will decide if Gopal Kanda is innocent or criminal, but his win does not acquit him of crimes. There are several factors behind winning an election. I would request the BJP that we do not forget our moral establishment. We must form our government in haryana, but we should decide that as the BJP has clean people', it should also associate only clean people with them."
A day after the results of the assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra were declared, top Congress leaders on Friday met under the chairmanship of Sonia Gandhi to deliberate upon the poll outcome and evolve a strategy to take on the BJP in the coming times. The 17-member group of leaders, set up by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, included former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi besides other top leaders. The group met at Gandhi's residence.
A day after results threw up a hung assembly in Haryana, the scene of action shifted to Delhi on Friday with Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar and his Congress rival Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the city to strategise on formation of government.
Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala, who has emerged as a kingmaker in Haryana, will meet his 10 legislators on Friday at his residence here to decide on the future course of the party.
Top Congress leaders on Friday met under the chairmanship of Sonia Gandhi to deliberate upon the poll outcome and evolve a strategy to take on the BJP in the coming times.
JJP will hold meeting at 4pm today
Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala, who emerged as a kingmaker after a fractured mandate in the Haryana Assembly elections, will meet his 10 legislators on Friday to decide whether to support the Congress or the BJP. Earlier, on Friday, JJP Legislators unanimously elected Chautala as their floor leader.
He will also meet his father Ajay Chautala, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, before taking a final decision on the future course of action. While till now Chautala has remained non-committal on whether his party would support the BJP or the Congress, party sources said he is likely to meet Union Home Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah soon.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also met Bharatiya Janata Party working president JP Nadda in New Delhi on Friday.
Somvir Sangwan, Independent winning candidate from Haryana's Dadri constituency when asked if he will extend his support to the BJP-led government said, "I have given my support."
Jannayak Janta Party leader Dushyant Chautala shows victory sign at party's MLAs meeting. JJP's national executive meeting is scheduled to be held in Delhi today.
Three independent MLAs met BJP working president J P Nadda on Friday to extend support, party leader Jawahar Yadav said. The three MLAs are Dharampal Gondan, Nayanpal Rawat and Sombir Sangwan "These three independent MLAs reached J P Nadda's house with an intention to extend support to the BJP government," said Yadav, who is accompanying the MLAs. Rakesh Daulatabad, an independent who won from Badshahpur constituency, is also meeting Nadda, he said. "We have come here to extend our support to the Khattar government in Haryana," Rawat, an independent MLA from Prithla constituency, said.
Gopal kanda also said, "It was decided yesterday only. Like our country is progressing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we want Haryana also to progress like that. My father was associated with the RSS since 1926. So, we are part of the family, so we are with the BJP without any condition to form the government in Haryana."
Haryana Lokhit Party leader Gopal Kanda, winning candidate from Sirsa (Haryana) assembly constituency said that all independent candidates have extended their support to the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP). "All independent candidates have extended their unconditional support to BJP. My father was associated with RSS since 1926,fought 1st general elections of the country after independence on Jansangh ticket."
A day after the Haryana elections were declared, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Friday chaired a meeting of the top leadership at her residence in New Delhi. At least 17 leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, discussed the outcome of the polls and strategised on how to take on the BJP going ahead, reported news agency PTI.
His silence Thursday is also the story of the Congress this Assembly election. While the party put up a brave face and its leaders pointed to a resurgence in Haryana and a better-than-2014 performance in Maharashtra despite a slow-off-the-blocks campaign, Rahul Gandhi, until midnight, had not made a single comment, not even on Twitter. Read full story here
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Minister Amit Shah congratulated party workers Thursday evening and applauded the results in Maharashtra and Haryana. Although the party was below the halfway mark, Modi called the Haryana result an “unprecedented” achievement, cited the 3 per cent increase in the party’s vote share over the last Assembly elections and flagged the fact that BJP, a minor player before 2014, was all set to return for a second term in power. Read More
In Haryana, the BJP is short of a clear majority. A number of factors were at play in the polls. Here are five takeaways.
1. For youth, absence of job
2. Congress’ Gandhis out of limeligh
3. Emergence of Dushyant Chautala in Haryan
4. Hurt by over-confidenc
5. Jats remain a factor in Haryana
Click here to read in detail
There is nothing inevitable about the BJP juggernaut, even with all its resources, leadership, organisational acumen, and the use (and abuse) of state power behind it. There is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction that is sidelined by high-decibel nationalism issues. The intriguing question is that the scale of the upset might have been even greater had this undercurrent been tapped into with greater resources and organisational acumen by the Opposition. The opposition can take some heart from the fact there is political space for them to exploit. But this political space can have a multiplier if there is more smart and credible coordination amongst all opposition groups that converts a protest vote into an alternative narrative, writes Pratap Bhanu Mehta.
In Baroda, Congress candidate Sri Krishan Hooda defeated BJP’s Yogeshwar Dutt by 4,840 votes and in Meham, independent candidate Balraj Kundu defeated Congress’s Anand Singh Dangi by 12,233 votes. Here, BJP’s Shamsher Singh finished third.
Badli saw Congress’s Kuldeep Vats defeating BJP’s Cabinet minister Om Prakash Dhankar by 11,245 votes, while in Garhi Sampla-Kiloi, Congress’s Bhupinder Singh Hooda defeated BJP’s Satish Nandal by 58,312 votes — the biggest victory margin in these Assembly polls.
In the Muslim-dominated constituencies, the BJP relied on INLD turncoats Zakir Husain in Nuh and Naseem Ahmed in Ferozepur Jhirka — both were seeking re-election from their respective constituencies. In Punhana, the BJP fielded debutant Nouksham Chaudhary. However, these constituencies maintained their voting pattern, which was evident in Thursday’s results.
In Nuh, Congress candidate Aftab Ahmed defeated BJP’s Zakir Hussain by 4,038 votes, while in Ferozepur Jhirka, Congress’s Mamman Khan defeated BJP’s Naseem Ahmed by 37,004 votes. In Punhana, Congress’s Mohd. Ilyas defeated Independent candidate Rahish Khan, while BJP candidate Nouksham Chaudhary was nowhere in the fight.
The BJP on Thursday faced defeat in six Jat-dominated constituencies that were at the epicentre of the quota stir violence of 2016. It also lost the three Muslim-dominated seats in southern Haryana. Candidates of the ruling party lost all the nine Assembly segments even though the BJP had managed to win all 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana during the recent Lok Sabha polls. Read More
Ranjit Singh, independent candidate from Haryana's Rania constituency, at Haryana Bhawan in Delhi: I have openly said that I extend my support to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Sardar Nishant Singh, Haryana JJP president says, "We have invitation from both the sides. We'll take our decision only after discussing with our elected candidates. If there is no clear majority for BJP, obviously the mandate is against them. We will decide our stand after the meeting."
BJP's move to pitch top sportspersons in Opposition strongholds flopped. Olympian wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Babita Phogat lost from the Jat-dominated areas of Baroda and Dadri, respectively — Phogat ended third. The lone bright spot was the victory of former hockey captain Sandeep Singh in Pehowa, a Punjabi Sikh-dominated constituency.
The BJP's choice of candidates also backfired. Replacing 12 of its sitting MLAs and depending on deserters from other parties failed to work —- 11 had switched over from INLD (seven lost, four won), and two from Congress (both won).
Among the BJP Jat leaders who lost was Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu who was defeated by JJP’s Ram Kumar Gautam. The other big losses for the party were: Education Minister Rambilas Sharma, Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar, Women and Child Development Minister Kavita Jain, Transport Minister Krishan Panwar and Minister of State Krishan Kumar Bedi.
The caste factor appeared to have played a role, too, with at least 13 Jat candidates winning across the state. In two Jat-dominated districts of Rohtak and Sonipat, which cover 10 segments, the Congress won seven seats, while the BJP managed only three.
The six BJP rebels who won as independents were Nayan Pal Rawat from Prithla, Randhir Singh Gollan from Pundri, Rakesh Daultabad from Badshahpur, Sombir Sangwan from Dadri, Balraj Kundu from Meham and Dharampal Gonder from Nilokheri.
Haryana chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter has also reached at the Haryana Bhawan for meeting in New Delhi on Friday. He will hold a meeting with BJP Working President JP Nadda and BJP Haryana In-charge Anil Jain.
As the results became clear, it was initially expected that Dushyant Chautala, the son of Ajay Chautala and grandson of Om Prakash Chautala, would play the kingmaker in deciding the next government. But the BJP decided to go with the seven Independents and Gopal Kanda.
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Minister Amit Shah congratulated party workers Thursday evening and applauded the results in Maharashtra and Haryana. Although the party was below the halfway mark, Modi called the Haryana result an “unprecedented” achievement, cited the 3 per cent increase in the party’s vote share over the last Assembly elections and flagged the fact that BJP, a minor player before 2014, was all set to return for a second term in power.
Watch here what the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly election results teach us:
The late-night developments were prompted by the setback received by the BJP when the Assembly poll results came in earlier in the day: A resurgent Congress led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed 31 seats and the newly formed Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) of Dushyant Chautala won 10. Both the Jat leaders severely dented the BJP’s poll call of “Abki baar 75 paar (Over 75 seats this time)” — the ruling party had gone to polls with 48 MLAs after winning the Jind bypoll in January.
BJP sources told The Indian Express that the oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held Friday evening. “As soon as the BJP once again forms the government in Haryana, public work will speed up through an honest and accountable government in the state,” Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said.
The BJP has sought the support of six party rebels and INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala’s estranged brother Ranjit Chautala, all of whom won as Independents — and Haryana Lokhit Party’s Gopal Kanda. The party is stranded at 40 seats, six short of an absolute majority. Read More
JJP Chief Dushyant Chautala at his residence in New Delhi on Friday. The JJP will hold a cabinet meeting at 4 PM today. Follow LIVE UPDATES.
Coongress leader DS Hooda says, "Independent MLAs who are going to be a part of the Khattar government are digging their own political grave. They are selling the trust of people. People of Haryana will never forgive those who do so. People will thrash them with shoes."
The Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) will hold a press conference regarding the government formation in Haryana at 4pm today.
Welcome to our LIVE blog. Bagging 40 out of the 90 assembly seats in Haryana, the BJP is ready to stake claim to form the government for the second consecutive term in the state. Also, BJP sources told The Indian Express that the oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held Friday evening. Follow to get all the latest updates here