Khattar elected as BJP's legislative party leader; party promises 'stable' regime in Haryana

Manohar Lal Khattar was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP's legislative party in Haryana here on Saturday, with the saffron party claiming that it would provide a "stable and honest" government in Haryana with the support of the JJP.

The BJP also clarified that there would be only one deputy chief minister in the party-led coalition government in the state.

Addressing the media here, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Khattar was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP's legislative party in Haryana.

Khattar's name was proposed by MLAs Anil Vij and Kanwar Pal and seconded by other party legislators.

After being elected as the legislative party leader, Khattar will now go to meet Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya and stake claim to form the government.

Meanwhile, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) chief Dushyant Chautala also reached the UT guest house here to meet Khattar.

After the meeting, Chautala is expected to meet the governor and submit his party's letter of support to the BJP to him.

Prasad congratulated Khattar for being elected as the BJP legislative party leader in Haryana.

Prasad, along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Arun Singh, attended the legislative party meeting here as central observers.

The Union minister said the party would provide a "stable, honest and effective" government in Haryana.

"We will go and meet the governor (for staking claim to form the government)...And urge him to formally invite us," he said, adding that the JJP and some Independent MLAs had pledged their support to the BJP.

However, Prasad clarified that the saffron party would not take the support of Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda, a controversial politician who faces two abetment-to-suicide cases, to form the government in Haryana.

To a question on who would be accommodated in the new state cabinet, he said it was the prerogative of the chief minister, who would take a call in this regard after



the oath-taking ceremony.

To another question on the number of deputy chief ministers in the new government, Prasad said only one person would be named to the post.

As per the assurance given to the JJP by the BJP, the deputy chief minister would be from the regional party.

To a question on the swearing-in ceremony, Prasad said a decision in this regard would be taken after the governor gave a formal invite for forming the government.

Earlier, party sources said the swearing-in ceremony was likely to take place on Sunday.

Khattar thanked all the party legislators after being elected as the leader of the BJP legislative party in Haryana.

He asserted that the saffron party would run a "clean and stable" government in the state like it did in the last five years.

The BJP is all set to form the government in Haryana after clinching an alliance with the JJP, which won 10 seats in the 90-member Assembly in the just-concluded polls, by giving it the post of deputy chief minister.

On Friday, BJP president Amit Shah told a press conference in New Delhi that the chief minister will be from his party and the deputy chief minister from the regional party.

Chautala was also present at the press conference.

The BJP's decision to win over Chautala underlines its quest to placate the Jats, a dominant community in Haryana, the members of which are believed to have voted mostly against the saffron party in the Assembly polls, to ensure a smooth run of its government in the state.

Top BJP leaders moved swiftly since Thursday night to cobble together a majority in Haryana after the party's tally fell to 40 in the state, six short of the majority mark. Most of the seven Independent MLAs have also pledged their support to the party.

A number of Independent legislators are BJP rebels and most of them gave their letters of support to Khattar during a meeting at the residence of the party's working president, JP Nadda, in the national capital.