Haryana: War of words between JJP, ‘rebels’ intensifies as party heads for split

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, May 10

The war of words between the JJP leadership and ‘rebel’ MLAs has intensified, which may pave the way for a split in the party. Even as the JJP leadership and the ‘rebels’ stick to their guns, both sides are weighing their options in a bid to outsmart each other.

No faith in Dushyant’s leadership

MLAs have lost faith in the ‘dictatorial’ leadership of Dushyant Chautala. The MLAs would hold a meeting and could even elect a new leader. — Devender Babli, MLA

Babli making absurd statements

Devender Babli seems to have lost his mental balance on account of political greed. He should check his political ground before making any absurd statements against the JJP leadership. — Amarjeet Dhanda, JJP Chief whip

Options for ‘rebel’ MLAs

• Engineer a ‘split’ in JJP with the support of seven of 10 MLAs
• Resign as MLAs to bail the Saini government out of crisis in case of a floor test
• Fight a legal and legislative battle in case the JJP writes to Speaker to terminate membership of a particular MLA

However, the biggest challenge for ‘rebel’ MLAs is threat of whip whenever there is a floor test for the ‘minority’ Nayab Singh Saini government. They will have to abide by the whip issued by the party to avoid disqualification as member of the state Assembly.

Meanwhile, the ‘rebels’ need the support of seven out of 10 MLAs to engineer a ‘split’ in the party. The new group then will have the option to merge with any party. One of the ‘rebels’ and Tohana MLA Devender Babli today reiterated that the party MLAs had lost faith in the ‘dictatorial’ leadership of Dushyant Chautala. He had already indicated that the MLAs would hold a meeting and could even elect a new leader. Miffed with the party leadership, five MLAs had already formed a group and are reportedly cosying up to the BJP government in the state after the BJP-JJP alliance broke off in March.

In fact, four JJP MLAs met former CM Manohar Lal Khattar in Panipat yesterday, even as Dushyant Chautala wrote a letter to the Governor, demanding a floor test or imposition of President’s rule in Haryana in the backdrop of the Saini government being reduced to ‘minority’ after withdrawal of support by three Independent MLAs.

The JJP leadership today pressed into service its Chief Whip and Julana MLA Amarjeet Dhanda to train its guns on Babli. Talking exception to Babli’s remarks, Dhanda said he seemed to have lost his mental balance on account of political greed.

“Babli, who had lost the Vidhan Sabha elections twice, was nominated by the JJP from the Tohana Assembly, which resulted in his victory. Not only that, he was made a Cabinet minister when there was BJP-JJP alliance government in Haryana,” Dhanda said, advising Babli to check his political ground before making any absurd statements against the JJP leadership.