After a day of high-voltage political drama which saw resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar as the chief minister and OBC leader Nayab Singh Saini being sworn in as the new CM, the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is all set to face a trust vote in the Assembly on Wednesday.
After assuming charge, the new chief minister told reporters that they had the support of 48 MLAs. “We have urged the governor to convene the assembly session tomorrow when we will prove our majority on the floor of the House,” Saini said, adding that they gave a letter of support of 48 MLAs to the governor.
Besides Saini, five MLAs — four from the BJP and one independent — were sworn in as ministers. However, former home minister and six-term MLA from Ambala Cantt, Anil Vij, has not found a place in the new cabinet.
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Vij reportedly refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony and walked out of the legislature party meeting where Saini was unanimously named the CM-designate.
Currently, in the 90-member state assembly, the BJP has 41 members, and it also enjoys the support of six of the seven independents as well as of lone Haryana Lokhit Party MLA Gopal Kanda. The JJP has 10 MLAs in the House. The main opposition Congress has 30 MLAs while the Indian National Lok Dal has one.
Earlier, during the Cabinet meeting, Saini had praised the Khattar government for its work in Haryana. “During the past nine-and-a-half years, he (Khattar) gave a new direction to Haryana and presented an example of good governance. ‘Haryana Ek Haryanvi Ek’ was not a mere slogan, but equitable development was carried out. We have worked without discrimination in the spirit of Antyodaya,” Saini said.
Also Read: Manohar Lal Khattar quits as CM, Haryana Cabinet tenders resignation
On Tuesday, Manohar Lal Khattar resigned as CM followed by the resignation of the entire Cabinet after the BJP broke the alliance with JJP over seat-sharing differences for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.