Now, ball in Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya’s court

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, May 10

Claiming Nayab Singh Saini’s government is in a minority after three Independent MLAs switched sides, the Congress wants Governor Bandaru Dattatreya to dismiss the government and hold fresh elections under the President’s rule.

BJP misleading on trust vote

The BJP is spreading canards in media that they don’t have to prove majority for six months as they recently won the vote of confidence. There is nothing like this in the rules — BB Batra, Party Chief Whip

The Congress submitted Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s letter to the Governor today. Initially, the delegation was not even allotted time to meet the Governor and their phone calls went unanswered. After party chief whip BB Batra asked how their memorandum could be refused, the Secretary to the Governor, Atul Kumar, agreed to meet the delegation and received the letter.

The letter requested the Governor to either dismiss the minority BJP government and hold elections under the President’s rule or convene a Vidhan Sabha session and direct the CM to seek a vote of confidence. Hooda said, “Affording an opportunity to this minority government to gather support through illegal and undemocratic methods will put the technicalities above the spirit of the democratic principles. Your prompt action in this matter will restore the faith of the people in our democratic system and enhance the dignity of your high office.”

Talking to The Tribune, he said, “There are chances of horse-trading. We want fresh elections after the dissolution of the House. We don’t want to form a government.” The Congress claims that in the 88-member House, 30 MLAs of the Congress, 10 of JJP, INLD MLA Abhay Chautala, three Independent MLAs — Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Singh Gollen and Dharampal Gonder — and another Independent Balraj Kundu are against the government. This makes the tally 45, while the BJP has the support of only 43 MLAs.

Batra said, “The BJP is spreading canards in media that they don’t have to prove majority for six months as they recently won the vote of confidence. There is nothing like this in the rules.”

Deputy CLP leader Aftab Ahmed said, “The Governor shouldn’t delay his action even by a day. Defections should not be engineered. We are even ready to parade our MLAs in Raj Bhavan.”

JJP’s Dushyant Chautala and INLD’s Abhay Chautala have also written to the Governor to convene an Assembly session for the floor test. They have also called for imposing the President’s rule if the government fails to prove majority. The JJP wants the Governor to act as per the SR Bommai judgment. The nine-judge Bench in the Bommai case had ruled that the only way to determine the support of the government would be a floor test.