Chandigarh: Even a fortnight after the Haryana assembly election results were declared and the BJP returned to power with the help of the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), the government still remains without cabinet ministers.
BJP’s Manohar Lal Khattar was sworn in as the chief minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala as the deputy chief minister on 27 October. But names of cabinet ministers are yet to be finalised.
In an unprecedented situation, the three-day session of the state assembly, which began on 4 November, was held without any cabinet minister. During the session, the new MLAs were sworn in on the first day and BJP’s Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta chosen as the Speaker. On the second day, Governor Satya Deo Narayan addressed the House.
Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala told ThePrint that Khattar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah Sunday and held discussions over the final list of ministers and division of portfolios with the JJP. But there is no official confirmation yet from the BJP on when the list will be announced.
“A discussion on the names and portfolios was held with Amit Shahji, but nothing is final as yet,” Barala said.
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Anil Vij, Banwari Lal to be in the list
In the assembly elections, the BJP won 40 seats, falling short of a clear majority in a 90-member House. The JJP secured 10 seats and the BJP joined hands with it to form the government. It also has the support of 7 Independents.
The total number of cabinet ministers, including the chief minister and the deputy chief minister, cannot go beyond 14.
According to an agreement between the BJP and the JJP, Chautala’s party will have two ministers in the state, apart from the post of the deputy CM. Two Independents are also likely to be made ministers. This leaves the BJP with eight ministerial berths apart from the chief minister.
Six-time BJP MLA Anil Vij, a Punjabi Khatri from Ambala Cantt, is the only former cabinet minister whose name figures on the list, a source in the BJP confirmed to ThePrint.
BJP’s Banwari Lal, who was a minister of state in the previous government, is also on the list, the source added. Lal is a Scheduled Caste.
Among the backward classes, former assembly speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar (MLA from Jagadhri) and former bureaucrat Abhe Yadav (MLA from Nangal Chaudhry) are being considered. Among the Jats, names of Manipal Dhanda (MLA from Panipat rural) and Kamlesh Dhanda (MLA from Kalayat) are doing the rounds. Also being considered are Seema Trikha (MLA from Badhkal), Kamal Gupta (MLA from Hisar), who is a baniya, and another baniya Deepak Mangla (MLA from Palwal).
The JJP is likely to choose from among Ram Kumar Gautam (MLA from Narnaund), Ishwar Singh (MLA from Guhla) and Anoop Dhanak (MLA from Uklana). Among the Independents, Ranjit Chautala (MLA from Rania), son of Devi Lal, Balraj Kundu (MLA from Megan) and Somvir Sangwan (MLA from Dadri) are being considered, the BJP source said.
Tension between BJP, JJP over portfolios
Although the names of the probable ministers are more or less final, there is still some tension between the BJP and the JJP over portfolios.
The JJP is likely to be given finance, rural development and panchayat, irrigation, health, and social justice and empowerment. It is also demanding power besides excise and taxation, but the BJP has refused, the source added. Instead, the JJP has been offered the post of the deputy speaker, which was offered to the Independents earlier, the source said.
“There is no clarity about any of this so far. The names from JJP are yet to be finalised,” said Deep Kamal Saharan, JJP’s media coordinator.
Another reason for the delay in cabinet formation is the absence of Governor Narayan for the past few days. He is likely to be in Chandigarh for the next few days after which he is going on leave for another week, sources said. The governor is required as he will administer the oath of office to the cabinet ministers.
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