Haryana BJP government in minority, has no moral right to continue: Congress after CLP meet

Chandigarh: The Congress in Haryana said again on Monday that the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government was in the "minority" and did not have the moral right to stay in power.

Speaking to reporters here in the evening after the Haryana Congress' Legislature Party meeting, party leader Deepender Singh Hooda said if the "minority" government does not resign, the governor should dismiss it and fresh polls be held.

"We have been saying the government is in the minority because it does not have the adequate numbers. Three Independent MLAs withdrew their support last month. They don't have the moral right to continue in power," he said.

The Congress had earlier also demanded that the BJP government should resign on moral grounds and if they fail to do so, the governor should take cognizance.

The government has not just lost its numbers in the Assembly, it has also lost the public trust, Hooda said.

The BJP has 41 MLAs currently in the assembly, which has an effective strength of 88. The party also enjoys the support of an Independent and the lone MLA of the Haryana Lokhit Party. Two JJP MLAs have openly supported it in recent weeks.

The CLP meeting was chaired by former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here.

The meeting came against the backdrop of the recently held Lok Sabha election. The party discussed poll results, in which the Congress wrested five of the 10 Lok Sabha seats from the ruling BJP in the state.

A discussion was also held as the party prepares for the Haryana Assembly elections due in October.

While the Aam Aadmi Party, which is part of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, contested the Kurukshetra seat, which it lost, the Congress contested the remaining nine and won five.

On a question if the Congress would tie up with AAP for the assembly polls, Deepender Hooda said that the alliance was for the Lok Sabha polls.

"This tie-up was for the Lok Sabha election. For the Vidhan Sabha polls, the Congress is capable on its own. We are strong in all 90 assembly constituencies and capable to fight on our own," he said.

He also refuted Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini's allegation that the former Congress government in the state misled poor people by falsely promising them plots measuring 100 square yards and other relevant facilities under the Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana.

"We had given plots to 3.92 lakh families and the process was going on (when Congress lost power). But this government betrayed the SC, backward categories. They stopped our scheme. During 10 years, they did not give plots to even one beneficiary," Hooda said "Now, when people of Haryana showed them the mirror in the recently held Lok Sabha polls and as they sense their imminent defeat in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections, they are saying such things," he added.

Deepender Hooda also thanked the people of the state for voting for the Congress in the Lok Sabha election.