Haryana Govt turmoil: After 3 independent MLAs withdrew support from the BJP government in Haryana, Congress is claiming that Nayab Saini’s government is in minority. Congress MLA and Chief Whip Bharat Bhushan Batra said that letters from 45 MLAs of opposition parties have reached Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.
In the letter sent to the Governor, it has been claimed that 30 Congress MLAs, 10 Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), 4 Independents and 1 Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA have demanded a floor test. There are currently 88 MLAs in the 90-seat Haryana Assembly, so the majority figure is only 45.
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Here, former CM Manohar Lal Khattar has rejected the Congress’ claim. He said- 6 out of 10 JJP MLAs are with us. I have also had a meeting with 3 rebel JJP MLAs. They are constantly in touch over the phone.
Let us tell you that Dushyant Chautala has claimed the support of 10 JJP MLAs to the opposition by sending a letter to the Governor, while 4 JJP MLAs have openly rebelled against the party.
Out of 40 BJP MLAs, only 39 have the right to vote
After 3 independent MLAs declared their support for Congress, there are only 40 BJP MLAs left in Haryana Assembly. Former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has resigned from his MLA post. Political analyst and legal expert Hemant in Haryana says that constitutionally, BJP has only 39 MLAs in the Assembly.
He told that only 39 out of 40 MLAs will be able to vote in favour of Naib Saini government (if there is a confidence motion) and against it (if there is a no-confidence motion). The reason behind this is that according to Article 189 (1) of the Indian Constitution, the Assembly Speaker can give his deciding vote (casting vote) only in the event of a tie on any motion in the House. In Haryana, BJP MLA Gyan Chand Gupta is looking after the responsibility of the Speaker in the Assembly.
The meeting of the Haryana Cabinet
The meeting of the Haryana Cabinet has been called on 15 May at 11 am. There is speculation about this decision of the government that in that meeting, a recommendation will be discussed with the Governor of the state about calling a special session of the Haryana Assembly, in which the 2-month-old BJP government led by Nayab Singh Saini may bring a confidence motion in the House to prove its majority for the second time in the Assembly.
However, according to Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Haryana Legislative Assembly, the House is summoned by the Governor only after a period of three weeks i.e. 21 days, although under certain special circumstances it is possible even before that.
The session will be held only after the Lok Sabha results
However, on March 13, the day after Nayab Saini took oath as the Chief Minister on the evening of March 12 this year, a one-day special session was called by the new government to prove its majority in the House to prove its majority. If the normal interval of 21 days is followed, the House will be convened only on June 4, i.e. after the counting of votes of the 18th Lok Sabha elections.
By then, the result of the Karnal assembly seat by-election will also come out, in which Chief Minister Naib Saini will be in the fray as a BJP candidate to be elected as a member of the current House.
Is CM Naib Saini’s BJP government in minority?
There are currently 88 MLAs in the 90-seat Haryana Assembly, so the majority figure is only 45. Currently, the Karnal and Sirsa Rania seats are vacant. BJP has its own 40 MLAs. Till now it had the support of 6 independents and one Halopa MLA. Out of which Ranjit Chautala has resigned. Now 3 independent MLAs have withdrawn their support. After this, BJP has the support of 43 MLAs along with 2 independents and Halopa MLA Gopal Kanda.
If we talk about the opposition, Congress has 30 MLAs, JJP has 10 MLAs and INLD has an independent MLA Balraj Kundu. Now 3 more independent MLAs have also joined them, so the total number of MLAs in the opposition has become 45. But BJP is claiming to have the support of 6 JJP MLAs. 4 MLAs have openly rebelled against JJP. In such a situation, the truth will come out only in the floor test.
Can a no-confidence motion be brought now?
No, in Haryana, Congress has brought 2 no-confidence motions against the BJP government since 2019. However, both times this motion could not be passed in the assembly. For the first time, Congress brought a no-confidence motion in the House in 2021 regarding the farmers’ movement.
In March 2024, during the budget session this year, Congress had brought a no-confidence motion. Now a gap of 6 months is necessary to bring a no-confidence motion again. In such a situation, Congress cannot bring a no-confidence motion against the current government till September. Assembly elections are to be held in Haryana in October-November.
How is a no-confidence motion brought?
First of all, the opposition party or the opposition coalition has to inform the speaker about it in writing. After this, the speaker asks any MLA of that party to present it. When a party feels that the government has lost the confidence or majority of the House, then it can present a no-confidence motion.
If the speaker approves the no-confidence motion, then it is necessary to discuss it within 10 days of presenting the motion. After this, the speaker can conduct voting in favor of the no-confidence motion or take a decision.
Nayab Saini took oath on March 12
In the 2019 assembly elections in Haryana, BJP won 40 seats. 46 seats are required to form the government. In such a situation, BJP formed the government in the state with 10 MLAs of JJP. Manohar Lal was made the Chief Minister and Dushyant Chautala was made the Deputy CM.
After about 4 and a half years, on March 12, 2024, the alliance between BJP and JJP broke due to a dispute over the distribution of Lok Sabha seats in Haryana. After this, Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini was elected the leader of the legislative party. On the same day, he took oath as the Chief Minister of Haryana.
