The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana is leaving no stone unturned to secure its political position in the state ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls to be held next year. The party continues to put pressure on its alliance partner the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) even as Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar made it clear that the party intends to continue its alliance with the JJP. Verbal spats continue to break out in both camps, leading to ruckus in political corridors. The BJP’s aggressive positioning, in addition to speculations surrounding the future of the ruling alliance in the upcoming elections, has left the JJP in a state of upheaval.
Political experts believe that the party will not let any opportunity to gain political mileage pass it by. Although Chief Minister Khattar’s announcement came as a perceived blow to the Independents a senior leader in the BJP, on the condition of anonymity, said that the future of the alliance still rests in the hands of the party’s high command. This has led observers to believe that the party is continuing to weigh its options. Notably, as pressure on the JJP continues to build, the saffron party has also received the support of six of the seven Independent legislators in the state. In addition, several BJP bigwigs have voiced their displeasure about continuing the alliance and have suggested to the party’s high command that it is likely to weaken their party’s standing in the state ahead of the polls.
The BJP’s national president JP Nadda also recently sought detailed insight into the alliance with the JJP during his visit to the party’s Panchkula office. Insiders say Nadda took information from “every angle.” Meanwhile, the party is making preparations for outreach ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s rally in Sirsa on 18 June.
Apart from this, talks will also be held soon with some disgruntled leaders of the party. In a bid to strengthen its position, the party is seeking even minor inputs pertaining to the party’s position in Haryana. The six Independents who extended their support to the party were invited to meet state in-charge Biplab Deb for the same, Independent MLA Sombir Sangwan divulged. The BJP currently has 41 MLAs and has now received the support of six Independents, excluding Balraj Kundu. Additionally, Gopal Kanda, the Haryana Lokhit Party’s sole MLA has also publicly voiced his support for the party. Even if its alliance breaks, the BJP will be comfortable, with 48 MLAs to run the government.