The Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, had moved the no-confidence motion claiming that the alliance government of the BJP and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) had lost the mandate to rule post the farmer’s agitation.
The Haryana Legislative Assembly on Wednesday took up for discussion a no-confidence motion moved against the ruling BJP-JJP government. Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, who had accepted the motion by the Opposition Congress on March 5, allowed two hours for discussion.
The Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, had moved the no-confidence motion claiming that the alliance government of the BJP and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) had lost the mandate to rule post the farmer’s agitation.
Meanwhile, all the three parties, the BJP, the JJP and the Congress have issued whip to their MLAs to remain present in the house when the motion is taken up.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has a comfortable majority in the 90-member Vidhan Sabha, and the motion is unlikely to destabilise his government. However, the move is being seen as an attempt by the Opposition to embarrass the ruling alliance, and would earn the Congress political mileage with the farmers agitating against the three central farm laws.
The Assembly currently has a strength of 88 members, meaning the ruling alliance needs 45 votes to stay in power. The alliance, with its 50 members — BJP has 40 and JJP 10 — can easily quash the motion. The Congress, on the other hand, has 30 MLAs. Seven are Independents, five of whom are supporting the government, while one member is of the Haryana Lokhit Party, who has also extended support to the government.
Also, the JJP, which derives its support base essentially from the Jat/farmer community, finds itself in a tough position. But its leader and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala remains unfazed. “There is no threat to the government. We are a pro-farmer party and it was my promise that the MSP given on several crops in the State will remain untouched and that’s what I have ensured,” said Chautala.