The BJP appears poised to stake claim to form a government in Haryana as five independent MLAs have pledged support to the party. The BJP currently has 40 MLAs, six short of the simple majority mark in the 90-member Haryana Assembly. A total of eight independent MLAs have been elected in the recent Haryana Assembly elections.
PTI quoted BJP leader Jawahar Yadav as saying three independent MLAs—Dharampal Gondan, Nayanpal Rawat and Somvir Sangwan—had met party working president J.P. Nadda at his Delhi residence on Friday and extended support.
Yadav, who was accompanying the MLAs, said, “These three independent MLAs reached J.P. Nadda's house with an intention to extend support to the BJP government.”
The fourth independent MLA who has pledged support to the BJP is Gopal Kanda, who won from Sirsa. Kanda, who had been a minister in Bhupinder Singh Hooda's second government, had claimed that “all independent MLAs” have pledged support to the BJP. Kanda was quoted by news agency ANI as saying his family had been associated with the RSS since 1926.
Kanda had been flown in a chartered jet, along with another independent MLA, Ranjit Singh (Rania constituency), by BJP MP from Sirsa Sunita Duggal. Ranjit Singh, who was at the Haryana Bhavan in Delhi, was quoted by news agency ANI as saying "I have openly said that I extend my support to the BJP.”
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Rakesh Daulatabad, an independent who won from Badshahpur constituency, is also meeting Nadda, Yadav told PTI.
Meanwhile the Hindustan Times has reported INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala, who had won from Ellenabad, had declared he “cannot align with the Congress as a matter of principle”. This has increased speculation the INLD, of which Abhay is the lone MLA, may also choose to support the BJP.