Haryana CM, Dy CM promise 'stable, honest' govt

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala both on Monday said the BJP-JJP alliance will provide a "stable and honest" government to the state and work for the welfare of all sections of the society.

"We will provide a stable government. We will stick to our agenda, which is to give a clean and transparent regime," Khattar told reporters in Karnal.

On the BJP falling short of a simple majority and having to secure support of its bitter pre-poll opponent JJP to form the government, Khattar said, "Let bygones be bygones, we have to think ahead and give a stable government".

Khattar and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala were sworn in respectively as the state's chief Minister and the deputy chief minister on Sunday.

The other ministers will be sworn in the next few days, said Khattar.

He also said a coordination committee will be formed to ensure smooth working of ties between the two allies.

Khattar reached Delhi on Monday to consult with his party's senior leaders to finalise the names of other ministers, said sources.

The frontrunners for ministerial berths include Anil Vij, Kanwar Pal, Banwari Lal, Seema Trikha, Mahipal Dhanda, Deepak Mangla and Ganshyam Saraf from the saffron camp, Ram Kumar Gautam and Ishwar Singh or Anoop Dhanak from the JJP, and Ranjit Singh Chautala and Balraj Kundu from among the independent MLAs.

Talking to reporters in Karnal, Khattar said the first session of Haryana's new assembly will be convened next week for all the MLAs to take oath.

Talking to reporters in Sirsa, Dushyant Chautala too echoed Khattar's statement and said the BJP-JJP combine will provide a stable government.

"We will provide a stable, honest and transparent administration, which will work for the welfare of all sections," said the 31-year-old leader of Jannayak Janta Party, who was sworn in as deputy chief minister in the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government on Sunday.

Khattar took oath as state's chief minister for the second time on Sunday with Dushyant Chautala, a great grandson of former deputy prime minister, late Devi Lal, being sworn-in as his deputy as the BJP formed government with the JJP's help.

Seven independents are also supporting the government.

Talking to reporters in Sirsa where he had a meeting of his party workers and supporters, Dushyant Chautala said Devi Lal dedicated his life for improving the condition of the weaker sections of the society and the present dispensation will strive to follow the path shown by him.

The BJP, which fell short of six seats from the majority mark in the assembly elections, on Friday sealed a deal with the Dushyant-led JJP to form the government in Haryana.

In the 90-member assembly, the BJP had won 40, JJP 10, Congress three, INLD and the Haryana Lokhit Party one each, while seven independents had also won.

Replying to a question, Dushyant Chautala hit out at the main opposition Congress for questioning his decision to extend support to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.

"We neither sought votes for the BJP nor for the Congress. People gave 18.60 lakh votes in JJP's favour and we won ten seats. And we have decided to provide a stable government (by going with the BJP)," he said.

"Did we seek votes in the favour of those who are saying 'vote kisko, support kisko'?" asked the deputy chief minister, hitting out at former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who has accused the JJP of betraying the people's mandate by going with the BJP.

"People have not forgotten how CLU (change-of-land-use) gangs used to be active during their time, how 63,000 acres of farmers' land were taken away for peanuts," he said, attacking Congress.

His father Ajay Chautala said, "Should we have shaken hands with the Congress, had we done so, Hooda would have felt good. For years, we have fought against the Congress. We cannot stand even close to the Congress, leave alone shaking hands with them".

Dushyant's brother and senior JJP leader Digvijay Chautala also hit out at Hooda.

"He is worried that he may have to go to jail (referring to the cases against him), which is why he is making such statements," he said.

"He is also questioning the timing of my father Ajay Singh's furlough," said Digvijay.

Ajay Singh Chautala had got a two-week furlough and was released from Tihar Jail in Delhi on Diwali with the opposition questioning the timing that coincided with Dushyant's oath-taking function.

Ajay Chautala, however, told PTI that "a needless controversy" was being raked.

"Furlough is my right and I had applied for it a month ago," said Ajay Chautala, who along with his MLA-wife Naina Chautala attended the oath taking ceremony here on Sunday.

On being pointed out that coalition governments in Haryana have not lasted for long in the past, Digvijay Chautala exuded confidence that it would last the full term.

"The issues on which we have come together and if we work on those issues, we can be successful,"he said.

He said 75 per reservation in jobs to the state's youths and raising the old age pension to Rs 5,100 are the two key poll promises of his party, besides the issues related to farmers. He said his party has put before the BJP all its poll promises and told them that the JJP is committed to fulfil them.

On a question about his party's expansion plans, he said the JJP will work for its expansion in other states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.