Congress is closely monitoring developments in the ruling alliance in Haryana, where the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) is under pressure to review its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the light of ongoing farmer agitation.
A congressional official said on condition of anonymity that his party had adopted a “wait and watch” policy and insisted that the ruling coalition “will collapse on its own” due to mounting pressure on the JJP to withdraw its support for the BJP. for the agitation of farmers demanding the immediate repeal of three agricultural laws enacted in September.
Farmers have been organizing protests at various border points in Delhi since last week.
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The ruling coalition suffered its first setback when Charkhi’s independent lawmaker Dadri Sombir Singh Sangwan withdrew his support for the government, calling it anti-farmer. He also resigned as chairman of the Haryana Livestock Development Board.
Sangwan’s departure has sounded alarms in the ruling camp and pressured the JJP and other supportive lawmakers to review their ties to the BJP as the unrest gains momentum.
In the 90-member Haryana assembly, the BJP has 40 legislators, the JJP 10, the 31st Congress, the Indian National Lok Dal and the Haryana Lokhit Party one each plus seven independents.
The JJP has said that its leader Dushyant Chautala will resign as Haryana’s chief deputy minister if the minimum price of support is suspended.
The Congress, optimistic about its victory in the general elections in Baroda, has decided to follow developments closely and not to “actively participate” in the fall of the Manohar Lal Khattar government.
“The best scenario for us is the midterm elections rather than having an alliance with JJP,” said a Haryana congressional leader. “Even if JPP withdraws its support for the BJP, there is a possibility that the state will be put under the rule of the president and the assembly in suspended animation during which anything can happen.”
Former chief minister and congressional leader, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, reportedly said that some JJP lawmakers are in contact with his party officials, but insisted that it was Chautala’s party that should decide whether to support the farmers or remain in the power.
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