Alienated Allies? All May Not Be Well in Haryana’s Ruling BJP-JJP Coalition

Both chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala may have vouched for the continuation of the BJP-JJP government in Haryana, but there is an undeniable unease in the relationship between the two parties as insiders believe that both could not just explore breaking ties in the long run but in the near future as well.

The BJP’s incharge for the state, Biplab Kumar Deb, has already set what some insiders believe could be a ‘plan’ in motion by meeting six independent MLAs in the past few days. Both Khattar and Chautala have downplayed these meetings. While the CM’s remarks about organisations and government working differently may have been tailor-made soundbites to debunk reports that the coalition was unsafe, party leaders say that the recent run of events had caused deep cracks within the alliance.

The recent trigger has been the wrestlers’ protest which has put the coalition partners on two different tracks. While the chief minister and Haryana BJP have been treading cautiously over the issue, maintaining that law would take its own course, alliance party JJP has been more strident considering that it depends critically on the Jat votes. And there have been several disagreements in the past few days. Biplab triggered a controversy when he claimed that Prem Lata, wife of former union minister Birender Singh, will bag the Uchana Kalan assembly seat next year. The constituency is currently represented by JJP leader and deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala. There were fierce reactions from the JJP.

To make matters worse, JJP MLA Ram Karan Kala announced that he was resigning from the post of chairman of Haryana State Federation of Co-operative Sugar Mills Ltd over the lathi-charge on farmers in Shahbad and the minimum support price (MSP) issue. Khattar took a swipe at him. “I am searching for that resignation and haven’t yet found it.”

The BJP has 41 MLAs, while the JJP has 10 members in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. There are seven independent MLAs and out of them, six are supporting the BJP. The saffron party also has the support of the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP)’s Gopal Kanda. The Congress has 30 MLAs, while lone Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) legislator Abhay Chautala and independent MLA Balraj Kundu are also against the BJP.

Dushyant Chautala has denied any “pressure” while stating that the coalition offered a stable government in the state for the past three and a half years and there were no doubts over the stability of the government. Chautala said they had formed a coalition government after talks with senior BJP leader Amit Shah and had offered a stable government. When asked about the meetings of the independent MLAs with BJP state incharge Biplab Deb, Chautala played it down, stating that anybody could hold meetings.