Ahead of Haryana trust vote, JJP MLA ‘breaks ranks’

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 9

On the eve of the Opposition Congress’ no-confidence motion against the BJP-JJP Government in Haryana, the ruling alliance today issued a whip to its MLAs to attend the Assembly session even as voices of dissent began rising from the treasury benches while farm groups continued to pressure the legislators to support the motion.

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Late in the evening, JJP’s Devinder Babli demanded that his party withdraw support to the BJP. “We have lost the moral ground to be in power. I will meet our leader and Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala in the morning and urge him to forgo his position and support the motion. Most of our MLAs want to support the motion. The government, in any case, will still have the numbers,” he said. JJP’s Ram Kumar Gautam and Jogi Ram Sihag, who had earlier spoken against the central farm laws in the House, said they were with the Khattar government.

The Congress too has issued a whip to its MLAs. Though the numbers favour the government (BJP-JJP has 56 MLAs, including five Independents and one HLP MLA), the Congress (30 plus two Independents) aims to “expose” the government’s “anti-farmer stance”.

Former CM and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “The main job of the Opposition is to give voice to the sentiments of the people, who have lost faith in the government. The numbers will favour us if voting takes place without any whip.”

On the eve of the trust vote, farmers protested outside the houses of state ministers and MLAs in Karnal, Kaithal and Yamunanagar. BKU national spokesman Rakesh Tikait took to the social media urging the MLAs to vote against the government. Haryana minister and BJP chief whip Kanwar Pal said, “The members are requested to be present at the time of voting and must not leave without permission.” The JJP, under fire for “failing to stand with the farmers”, has issued a similar whip. Any member going against the whip will invite the provisions of the anti-defection law.

Moved by ex-CM Hooda and signed by 28 Congress MLAs, the no-trust motion was accepted by Speaker Gian Chand Gupta on March 5, the first day of the Budget session, and fixed to be taken up in the House on March 10.

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