Haryana’s Hectic Negotiation: Deputy CM for JJP and Power for BJP

The BJP is all set to form government in Haryana, after stitching a post-poll alliance with Dushyant Chautala’s JJP.

Win-win situation: BJP is all set to form the government in Haryana, after stitching a post-poll alliance with Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).

(Photo: PTI)

The BJP is all set to form the government in Haryana, after stitching up a post-poll alliance with Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). Manohar Lal Khattar will remain in the chief minister’s seat, while the JJP will get the post of deputy CM.

On 25 October, a day after the counting of election results, there were hectic negotiations between both parties. BJP stood five short of a majority in the 90-member Assembly but did not wish to rely on independents to cobble together what would inevitably then be a weak majority, even if the magic figure was arrived at.

Instead, getting Dushyant Chautala on board ensures that the BJP-JJP alliance is at a combined strength of 50 seats, a relatively more comfortable majority.

Here is the chain of events of how the BJP overcame any concerns about whether they would be able to form the government in Haryana.

Kingmaker and ‘The Keys to Haryana’

By as early as 10:30 am on counting day, Dushyant Chautala had already announced that “JJP is holding the keys to Haryana”.

Soon enough, both the Congress and the BJP reached out to Chautala’s JJP, making them the kingmakers in the race for government formation.

On the morning of 25 October, JJP were still playing their cards close to the chest, with Sardar Nishant Singh, Haryana JJP president, saying, "We have invitation from both the sides. If there is no clear majority for BJP, obviously the mandate is against them. We will decide our stand after the meeting."

The political posturing continued even as negotiations were being conducted about government formation.

As senior Congress leaders met party chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence on Friday morning, Manohar Lal Khattar was also in Delhi meeting with BJP Working President JP Nadda and Haryana In-charge Anil Jain.

Manohar Lal Khattar meeting JP Nadda on Friday.(Photo: ANI)

By around 2 pm on Friday, it was clear that five independent MLAs had also met Nadda and extended their support to the BJP. The five were Dharampal Gondan, Nayanpal Rawat, Sombir Sangwan, Rakesh Daulatabad and Randheer Golan.

Before that, the controversial Gopal Kanda, leader of the Haryana Lokhit Party, had also said that he would be backing the BJP to form the government.

Meanwhile, the JJP held a meeting of their newly elected MLAs, with victory signs being flashed all around.

Chautala’s Meeting With Amit Shah, and an Alliance Firmed Up

On Friday night, Chautala met Amit Shah at his Delhi residence. BJP’s Anurag Thakur was also present.

Soon after the meeting ended, Shah announced that a BJP-JJP alliance had been struck, and also that the post of the Deputy CM would be given to their alliance partner.

Around an hour later, Manohar Lal Khattar said that he would be meeting the Haryana Governor on Saturday, to stake claim to form the government.