3 Independents cross sides, Haryana BJP govt teeters ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Just over a fortnight to go for the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, three Independent MLAs withdrew their support to the BJP government in the state and extended “outside” support to the Congress.

This leaves the BJP, with 40 MLAs, tentatively placed in the Assembly. With the House strength reduced to 88, the majority mark is 45. Technically, the BJP government has the support of 43 MLAs now, though it claimed on Tuesday that four Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) MLAs too may offer “tactical assistance to the government if needed”, taking its strength to 47.

The three Independent MLAs who switched sides Tuesday — Dharampal Gondher (Nilokheri), Randhir Golan (Pundri) and Sombir Sangwan (Dadri) – announced their decision in the presence of former Congress chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Rohtak.

Soon after, Hooda said: “This government should resign keeping in view the sentiments of the public. President’s rule should be imposed in the state.”

Haryana BJP president Udai Bhan demanded that the Assembly elections in the state – due at the end of this year — be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls on May 25. “Saini has no right to stay in government for even a moment.”

CM Saini accused the Congress of engineering what had happened. “Some MLAs have some ambitions. These days, the Congress is apparently fulfilling desires (of such people). People understand this. They also know who has what ambitions. The Congress has nothing to do with the needs of the people. They care only about their ambitions,” he said.

While the total strength of the House is 90, right now it is 88 as two MLAs resigned earlier to contest the Lok Sabha polls, both on BJP tickets. While former BJP CM Manohar Lal Khattar is the candidate from the Karnal