Haryana's JJP voices support for farmers, hopes for 'good news' from next round of talks

NEW DELHI: With seven out of the ten MLAs of the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Haryana voicing their support to the farmers protesting the new farm laws, the party leadership said it was hoping for “good news” for the farmers after the next round of talks with the Centre on December 9 and that the BJP-JJP government would continue for the full five years.

The JJP’s support is vital for the continuance of the Manohar Lal government in Haryana as the BJP has 40 MLAs in the 90-member assembly and has the support of five independents, which takes it to the half-way mark of 45.

“The Congress wants to harm the Haryana government in the garb of the farmer agitation which we will not allow. We are hoping that the Centre will come out with good news for the farmers on December 9,” the JJP’s founding member and deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala’s younger brother, Digvijay Chautala, said on Monday.


“Deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala is in touch with various central ministers and spoke to them last evening also with his suggestions. The Haryana government is strong and will run for the next five years under the leadership of Manohar Lal and Dushyant Chautala,” he said.

Only Dushyant Chautala and his mother Naina Chautala among the JJP MLAs have so far not commented on the farmer agitation.

Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda of the Congress has written a letter to the Governor demanding an emergency session of the assembly be called as the Congress wants to bring a no-confidence motion. “Farmers have been on dharna for several days but even today the JJP and independent MLAs are clinging to the power, instead of standing with the farmers. They are talking about support to the farmers but are also continuing their support to the government. This no-confidence motion will expose legislators who are playing a ‘double-role’. Now, the legislators have to choose between the government and the farmers,” said Hooda.

Abhay Chautala, the sole MLA of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) said he was willing to offer his resignation as an MLA if the farmers want so. “This will be following the legacy of my great grandfather Devi Lal, unlike Dushyant Chautala who is clinging to power,” said Abhay Chautala.

However, Digvijay Chautala of the JJP said that nothing much would be served by resigning as MLA as it would bring further load on taxpayers as an election would have to be held again. Chautala had met Haryana home minister Anil Vij on Saturday last week and asked for all cases lodged against farmers during the agitation to be withdrawn, upon which Vij had promised to look into the matter.