Haryana's new govt to be sworn-in today

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janata Party coalition government will take oath on Sunday, a day after BJP president Amit Shah announced his party’s alliance in Haryana with the Jat-dominated party. Interim chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar will be sworn-in as the next chief minister of the state, while JJP’s Dushyant Chautala will be his deputy.

After facing severe criticism over seeking support of controversial leader Gopal Kanda, the BJP was forced to clarify that it will not take the support of the Haryana Lokhit Party legislator. Mr Kanda is facing two abetment of suicide cases, including that of a former female employee and her mother. A majority section within the BJP’s Haryana unit was not in favour of any sort of association with Mr Kanda. Also, former Union minister and party’s national vice president Uma Bharti had cautioned the party leadership against taking Mr Kanda’s support. “I want to clarify one thing that the BJP is not going to take the support of Kanda,” said Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday. He was in Chandigarh for the BJP’s legislative meeting as a Central observer.

In the just concluded Assembly polls in the state, the BJP bagged 40 seats, six short of a simple majority. Other than the JJP’s 10 MLAs, the BJP also has the support of seven Independent MLAs.

Earlier during the day, the BJP legislative party met in Chandigarh and elected Mr Khattar as the legislative party leader. He then met Haryana governor Satyadeo Narain Arya and staked claim to form the government in the state. Mr Chautala accompanied him.

Apart from Mr Prasad, and the BJP’s national general secretary Arun Singh also attended the legislative party meet in Chandigarh.

“The Haryana governor has invited us to form the government on Sunday,” Mr Khattar said after meeting with the governor.

The oath-taking ceremony will take place at 2:15 PM on Sunday, the day Diwali will be celebrated across the country.

Mr Khattar said that Mr Chautala will also take oath as the deputy chief minister, and added that a total of 57 MLAs — 40 of the BJP, 10 of the JJP and seven Independents — staked claim before the governor for forming the government in Haryana.

Earlier, Mr Khattar and his Cabinet colleagues submitted their resignations to the governor, which were accepted. The governor asked Mr Khattar to continue as the interim chief minister till the new government takes over.