Rebellion by JJP MLAs no threat to Haryana government

CHANDIGARH: Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) legislator Ram Kumar Gautam might have rebelled against his leader and deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, but there is no immediate threat to Dushyant, who is part of the BJP-JJP coalition government in Haryana. Sources said Dushyant's mother Naina Chautala being an MLA and his quota of three ministers in the coalition government would help the JJP leader sail through easily in the coalition government even if some more JJP MLAs follow Gautam.


The anti-defection law under 10th Schedule of the Constitution provides that merger of the members of a political party into another outfit would be considered legal in case of two-third members deciding to join another party.

In the present case, around seven of 10 JJP MLAs would be required to defect from their party to keep their membership intact in the House.

The JJP leader, besides himself and his mother Naina, can accommodate two more party MLAs as ministers in the coalition government to continue in power. In this case, even if remaining six MLAs turn rebellious like Gautam, they would not have any effect on the coalition government.

As per the pact between Dushyant's JJP and BJP, Jannayak Janata Party can have three ministers in the Haryana cabinet. At present, Dushyant is deputy CM and Uklana MLA Anoop Dhanak is a junior minister, meaning one ministerial slot in the JJP quota is still vacant. Besides this, Naina Chautala is the JJP MLA from Badhra. This way, there is no threat to JJP in the event of more party MLAs turning rebellious like Narnaund MLA Ram Kumar Gautam.

On Wednesday, 73-year-old Gautam had resigned from the post of JJP national vice-president, raising questions about Dushyant's "unilateral" decisions.

Even Khattar is safe without JJP
In event of any turmoil in JJP or withdrawal of support by Dushyant, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is in safe zone without the JJP support. Khattar, who is leading the coalition government, has already "adjusted" independent MLAs on important posts and would easily achieve the requisite numbers in the state assembly to continue in power without even Dushyant's support.

There are 40 BJP MLAs in the 90-member Haryana assembly, Congress has 31, Dushyant Chautala's JJP has 10, Independents are seven, and Gopal Kanda's Haryana Lokhit Party and INLD have one seat each.

Immediately after forming the coalition government with the support of 10 JJP MLAs, Khattar had inducted one independent MLA, Ranjit Singh from Rania, as a minister in his cabinet and adjusted four independent MLAs — Somveer Sangwan from Dadri, Nayanpal Rawat from Prithla in Faridabad, Randhir Singh Golan from Pundri and Dharam Pal

Gondar

from

Nilokheri

— as chairmen of various boards and corporations of the state. This way, Khattar has complete support of 45 MLAs in the 90-member assembly without Dushyant's JJP and in the event of withdrawal of support by Dushyant, Khattar will have opportunity to adjust two more independent MLAs as ministers. for a hassle-free tenure of his government.

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