'BJP Govt in Haryana Surviving on Technical Grounds, CM Saini Must Resign': Deepender Hooda to News18

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda has told News18 that the BJP government in Haryana is surviving in minority on “technical grounds” and the Governor must take the correct constitutional step by either dismissing it immediately or chief minister Nayab Singh Saini should resign on moral grounds.

In an interview with News18 during his Lok Sabha election campaign in Rohtak on Thursday, Hooda said the BJP government in Haryana had been reduced to minority now. “When their alliance broke down (with JJP), BJP submitted a list of 48 MLAs to the Governor. Of the 48, two MLAs have resigned and are contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Three more MLAs have withdrawn support from the BJP and extended support to the Congress. So, this government practically is now of 42 or 43 MLAs and in a minority, as the half-way mark is 45,” Hooda said.

“We expect the chief minister to resign on moral grounds immediately or the Governor should recommend imposition of President’s Rule as the Lok Sabha election is in the works and in 10-12 days, people will cast votes,” Hooda further said. He told News18 that it was important that the Governor must take the “right constitutional steps” in this regard. The BJP has been saying that a no-confidence motion cannot be brought within six months of the last one in February and the Haryana elections are anyways due later in October this year.

“These are technical grounds. They have lost the confidence of the people. They have lost the confidence of the MLAs. Right now, elections are in process in Haryana. So currently it is a minority government that is surviving on technical grounds. But, actually, this technical ground is not a position that the courts have taken in the past, we will see what we need to do in this regard,” Hooda said on the strategy ahead.

Meanwhile, the JJP led by Dushyant Chautala has written to the Governor, saying their 10 MLAs will support the Congress party if a no-confidence motion is brought. “Nobody trusts the JJP in Haryana. They are known as the party of betrayal. They should write to the Governor — get their MLAs to sign and write to Governor — that they will support Congress in case of no-confidence motion. And that they are against the BJP,” Hooda told News18.

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