Day of resignations, party-hopping: Setback for JJP as Haryana chief quits party

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, April 8

Less than a month after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in Haryana parted ways, the JJP today faced another setback, with party state chief Nishan Singh announcing his decision to quit the party.

Confirming the development, Singh said he had conveyed his decision to the JJP top brass. “I have conveyed my decision to the leadership. However, I will meet national president Ajay Singh Chautala to hand over my resignation letter in a day or two whenever he decides to meet me,” he said.

Though rumours are doing rounds that Singh is likely to join the Congress, he said the final decision would only be taken after he handed over his resignation letter. “I will call a workers’ meeting to decide my future course of action. I have not yet decided which party I would join,” he said.

The JJP, a splinter group of the Indian National Lok Dal, was formed in December 2018, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. After its formation, Singh was given the responsibility of the state chief. The party tasted success in the 2019 Assembly elections when 10 of its candidates won, putting its leaders in a bargaining position since the BJP did not have a majority. A post-poll alliance was worked out, in which its founder and leader Dushyant Chautala was made the Deputy Chief Minister in the BJP-headed government in Haryana.

However, after the alliance snapped in March, some of the JJP’s MLAs have been in constant touch with the BJP and even attended the first Haryana Vidhan Sabha session held with Nayab Singh Saini as the Leader of the House. According to sources, some of these MLAs could quit the party ahead of the Assembly elections to be held later this year.