ROHTAK/CHANDIGARH: Three out of five Independent MLAs, who were helping Nayab Singh Saini govt in Haryana retain its majority since JJP's exit from the coalition, withdrew support on Tuesday, giving Congress ammunition to demand its dismissal amid BJP's staunch defence of what it said was a "safe and stable" cabinet.
BJP still has the backing of two Independents-Nayan Pal Rawat and Rakesh Daulatabad-and HLP legislator Gopal Kanda.
With 43 MLAs on its side, the party requires two more to maintain its majority in the 90-member assembly, which has had an effective strength of 88 since former CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Independent MLA Ranjit Singh Chautala resigned.
3 independent MLAs withdrew their support
The three Independents-Somveer Sangwan, Randhir Singh Golan and Dharampal Gondar-wrote to governor Bandaru Dattatreya about their decision before holding a presser in Rohtak alongside former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda of Congress and PCC chief Udai Bhan.
The trio was among the 48 MLAs who backed BJP-led govt in the March 12 trust vote. BJP currently has 40 MLAs, Congress 30, JJ, and INLD and HLP (Gopal Kanda) one each. There are six Independents. Saini said he was confident that the withdrawal of support by three Independents would have no bearing on govt's future. "The public understands the intentions of such people," he said.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar said there was no immediate threat to the govt. Two MLAs from JJP-Ramniwas Surjakhera and Jogi Ram Sihag-recently defied the party whip to declare their support for BJP candidates in Lok Sabha polls. The presence of a few more disgruntled MLAs in Dushyant Chautala-led JJP gives BJP hope that should there be another floor test, it would sail through.
In March, Dushyant had issued a whip asking his MLAs to abstain from trust vote, enabling BJP to get past the line with its MLAs.
Ram Narain Yadav, retired additional secretary of the assembly, said the Congress-led opposition would need to produce letters of support to show govt had lost its majority and seek a fresh trust vote. "If the governor is convinced that the opposition has sufficient numbers, only then can he ask govt to go through a trial of strength again," he said.
He said there was no bar on bringing a second no-confidence motion within six months of the first one.
Hooda called for immediate assembly elections after "clamping President's rule in Haryana". Even the people who voted and supported BJP are unhappy with govt's policies, he alleged.