BJP government faces no-trust motion in Haryana

The ruling BJP in Haryana is expected to face a no-confidence motion in the assembly today. The opposition Congress has claimed that two Independent MLAs supporting the government have withdrawn support.

The exercise, however, is seen as a plan to embarrass the government amid widespread anger over the Centre’s new farm laws. The BJP — which has an alliance with Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party — has claimed that there is no threat to the government.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said there is no threat to the government. “We are confident that the no-confidence motion against the government will be defeated in the Assembly,” Mr Khattar said.

The Congress motion is likely to pile pressure on the JJP, with the Congress saying it is meant to reveal to the people which MLAs do not support the farmers’ cause. Members of the JJP have admitted that they are being boycotted by farmers in their constituencies.
“Two Independent MLAs who were supporting the government have withdrawn their support. Some MLAs of their alliance party said this is the most corrupt government,” Congress’s former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said. “We will get to know who stands with whom when we will bring in the no-confidence motion against the Manohar Lal Khattar government,” he added.

The BJP has 40 seats in the 90-member Haryana assembly. It also has the support of 10 JJP MLAs ad five independent legislators. The Congress has 31 seats. Two seats in the assembly are vacant and the majority mark stands at 45.