Saini Government in Minority? Haryana Congress Asks Governor to Dissolve Assembly, CM Hits Back

New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Haryana, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has claimed that Nayab Singh Saini's BJP government lacks majority. The Congress has demanded dissolution of the Assembly as well as holding fresh polls in the state.

Responding to Bhupinder Hooda's claims, CM Saini said that there is no danger to BJP government in the state. "Our government has the full majority and there is no danger to it," said Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini on Friday. 

Congress Demands Fresh Polls

A delegation of the Haryana Congress led by Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda met Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Thursday, claiming the Nayab Singh Saini's BJP government is in the "minority" and demanding dissolution of the Assembly as well as holding fresh polls.

"We have demanded the dissolution of the House. This government has no moral right and if they want to prove it (majority) then they should parade their MLAs in front of the Governor. Horse-trading of MLAs should stop. On moral grounds, this government should resign and elections should be held..." said Hooda, as quoed by ANI. 

He said in the 90-member Assembly, which currently has an effective strength of 87, BJP has 41 MLAs and has the support of the lone legislator of the Haryana Lokhit Party and Independent member Nayan Pal Rawat. The total number of MLAs supporting the government is only 43. Whereas at present the number of MLAs in the House is 87 and the majority figure is 44, Hooda said.

Independents Withdraw Support 

Last month, three Independent MLAs, Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Singh Gollen and Dharampal Gonder,  withdrew support to the ruling BJP in Haryana and announced that they would back the Congress. Following this, the Congress had sent a delegation to met the governor last month claiming that the government was in the "minority".

Tough Battle in Haryana This Time? 

In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, Congress made significant gains in Haryana by winning  out of the 10 Lok Sabha seats of the state, while the BJP's tally came down to 5, which has won all the 10 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress wishes a repeat of Lok Sabha elections in the upcoming assembly polls. Assembly elections are due to be held in October this year.

The BJP formed an independent government in the state for the first time in 2014. However in 2019 assembly elections, the BJP fell short of majority and had to stich a post-poll alliance with JJP. 

Just few months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-JJP alliance collapsed, following which Khattar resigned along with his entire cabinet, paving the way for Nayab Singh Saini. Khattar contested the Lok Sabha elections and have been inducted in the Modi 3.0 cabinet. T