Cong open to suggestions from Dushyant Chautala, says Bhupinder Hooda

After Dushyant Chautala asserted he would lend support to the party which agrees to the demand of 75 per cent reservation to residents of Haryana in government jobs among others, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Friday that the proposal is already mentioned in the Congress manifesto and it will welcome any suggestions put forth by the JJP chief.

"Dushyant Ji stated a few points in his press conference. As far as the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) is concerned, it is already provided in our manifesto -- be it old age pension or 75 per cent job reservation for Haryanvis. If he has other suggestions, we are open to that. Now it is upto him," he told ANI.

During the press conference earlier today, Chautala said the JJP will support any party in the formation of government in Haryana which agrees to the CMP that provides for 75 per cent reservation in government jobs for natives in the state.

"The party which agrees to the Common Minimum Programme in which we want 75 per cent reservation in government jobs for Haryanvis and implementing Chaudhary Devi Lal's idea of old age pension, we will give our support to it," he told reporters here.

The JJP national executive, which met here, elected Chautala as leader of the legislative party.

Chautala also said that JJP has not spoken to any other party on the formation of the government as the meeting of the national executive to decide party's agenda had not been held.

The 11-month old JJP won 10 seats in its debut assembly polls and its role can be crucial in the formation of a government in Haryana as no party has got a full majority.

The BJP won 40 seats in the 90-member Haryana assembly, while the Congress bagged 31 seats in the state. The BJP has got the support of independents but the Congress has not given up efforts to form the government in the state.