The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress on Thursday took potshots at the Indian National Lok Dal over its split and demanded voting to decide whether the INLD MLA Abhay Chautala should continue as the Leader of Opposition in the House.
INLD, which is Haryana’s main opposition party has 17 MLAs and four of them have joined the Jannayak Janta Party formed after the split.
The issue cropped up during the Zero Hour during the second day of budget session when the Health Minister Anil Vij, in a sarcastic tone, asked the INLD MLAs “We have heard that your party has split”.
Vij then asked the Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar whether he had any formal information about the INLD’s split.
When Vij continued seeking answers on INLD’s split, party legislator Naina Chautala admitted that the party has split and a new party has been formed.
Following this, the Health Minister while addressing the Chair said, “Sir, she (Naina) has accepted on the floor of the House that INLD has split. Therefore, separate sitting arrangement should be made for them.”
The Speaker, however said, “They have not given anything in writing yet and we will look into the matter.”
Soon after, the Congress legislators too joined the issue and demanded that voting should be held to decide whether INLD’s Abhay Chautala can continue as the Leader of opposition.
Abhay Chautala was not present inside the House when the BJP and Congress legislators were taking potshots at the INLD split.
Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “When one member (Naina) is saying on the floor of the House that they have formed a separate party (JJP), then how Leader of opposition can continue to enjoy the status.”
Congress MLA Raghubir Singh Kadiyan said that voting should be held to decide whether the rebel INLD MLAs still hold confidence in the Leader of opposition.
The Speaker then assured the House to look into the matter.
In the 90-member State Assembly, while the ruling BJP has 48 MLAs after the recent Jind bypoll win, both Congress and INLD have 17 members each, one each member belongs to the SAD and BSP, five are independents while one seat fell vacant after demise of INLD's Jaswinder Singh Sandhu recently.
Notably, the JJP came into existence in last December following a vertical split in the INLD, after a bitter power struggle between Ajay Chautala and Abhay Chautala, the grandsons of Devi Lal, who had founded the party.
JJP was floated by Ajay Chautala and his sons-Hisar MP Dushyant and INSO chief Digvijay after the trio were expelled from the INLD.
LoP hits out at Govt. for mention of poll victories in Governor’s speech
Lashing out at the Haryana Government, Leader of opposition and INLD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala on Thursday alleged that the State Government has done nothing during its tenure and even the Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya finished his address in less than 10 minutes and left the House on the first day of budget session.
Chautala, while speaking during the discussion on Governor’s address said, “The Governor only read first five paras and then the last para which is about BJP’s victories in recent Jind bypoll and civic body polls in Haryana.”
Reacting sharply to the mention of victories in elections in the Governor’s address, Chautala said, “Is it Governor’s speech or BJP’s speech? Is Governor someone’s Pracharak or praising BJP because of being given a constitutional office?”
The House has been insulted with the mention of election victories in Governor’s speech,” he further alleged.
Responding to him, Chief Minister Manohar Lal clarified that the Governor’s speech has not mentioned BJP’s victory but stated that the result are clear vindication of government’s policies.
Govt running from discussion, Cong alleges
The Congress legislators on Thursday alleged that the BJP led Haryana Government is running away from discussion on burning issues in the State Assembly, which is why the budget session’s duration had been curtailed.
During the zero hour of the State Assembly, Congress MLA Karan Singh Dalal said that the Chief Minister Manohar Lal had earlier cited examples of other states which have longer duration of Assembly session and had claimed that the present BJP dispensation in Haryana too had started a similar practice.
“However this time, the budget session which was to end on March 5 according to the tentative schedule fixed earlier, will now end on February 27. The government is running away from discussion on these issues, which is why the duration of the session has been curtailed,” he alleged.
Responding to the allegations, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ram Bilas Sharma said in the BAC meeting held here on Wednesday, Congress Legislature Party leader Kiran Chowdhary was present and she had raised no objection when the schedule was fixed.
Sharma said, “There is no question of running away from discussion on various issues. We are here to answer each and every point that is raised. Each and every MLA will be given adequate time to raise issues.”