On Thursday, a Haryana Congress delegation met with Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya, the Governor of the state, and claimed that Nayab Singh Saini’s Government is in minority. They called for dissolution of the Assembly and fresh polls.
A parliamentary team led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, leader of the opposition, visited Raj Bhavan here in the evening and handed over a memorandum to the governor.
“Government has no moral right to continue. We have demanded that House be dissolved and fresh elections should be held,” said Mr. Hooda when addressing journalists later.
It further said “unless it indulges in horse-trading or use of unconstitutional means”, as described by the Congress party in its memorandum to Mr. Dattatreya about present government’s lack of majority in house.
“The Speaker should dissolve the Assembly to prevent this State being stigmatised by horse-trading (as we told him),” added Mr. Hooda.
Mr Hooda pointed out that presently there are 41 BJP MLAs against 87 members Parliament stands at an effective strength of 90 comprising 41 MLAs from BJP alone while support comes from one Independent, Nayan Pal Rawat and lone legislator for Haryan Lokhit Party MLA.
“This indicates that Nayab Singh Saini Government is a minority one as per our Constitution and democratic traditions,” read part of their memorandum.
“Therefore, we seek your intervention to dismiss this minority government without any delay on constitutional grounds and impose President’s rule so as to maintain purity & sanctity of democracy in our State.’‘ Fresh elections will be held for new people electing legal popular government’’, concluded their memorandum statement on this issue.
Governor gave them his word that he would go through their statement according to Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
“We are following constitutional methods; he is also head under Indian Constitution we respect his authority,” he answered.
He also said that Tosham MLA Kiran Choudhry has not resigned as MLA after joining BJP from Congress. Consequently, the current composition of Assembly is 87 at the moment.
The delegation had Udai Bhan, the State Congress President, Aftab Ahmed Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Haryana and CLP Chief Whip BB Batra apart from Mr. Hooda.
On May 10 too, they submitted a memorandum to the Governor demanding dismissal of ‘minority’ BJP government in Haryana and sought fresh elections under Presidents rule.
Independent MLAs
Last month three independent MLAs – Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Singh Gollen and Dharampal Gonder announced their withdrawal support to BJP and their support to Congress party.
Afterwards last month itself congress delegation met governor.
Mr Hooda was asked about the response by state BJP leaders that has countered this; he replied “It is for the Government to establish whether or not its numbers are correct.”
