JJP-BJP to stake claim to form govt, meet Haryana Governor on Saturday

With Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and BJP forging a post-poll alliance to form government in Haryana, leaders of both the parties will meet Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya in Chandigarh on Saturday to stake claim to form government.

"We accept the mandate given to us. We got only 40 seats which is short of a majority but in order to give a stable government to the state we decided to forge an alliance. We have a history of supporting each other," said Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar addressing a joint press conference here on Friday.

"We will meet the Governor tomorrow in Chandigarh to stake claim to form government in the state," he said.

JJP chief Dushyant Chautala said: "To give a stable government to Haryana it was important for BJP and JJP to come together. I would like to thank Amit Shah Ji and Nadda Ji. Our party had decided that for the betterment of the state it is important to have a stable government."

While the chief minister's post will remain with the BJP, the JJP will get the deputy chief minister's post. The 11-month old JJP won 10 seats in its debut Assembly polls and emerged in the role of kingmaker in view of a split verdict in the state. While the BJP won 40 seats in the 90-member Assembly, Congress won 31 seats in the results declared on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Chautala, a former MP, talked to the media and said his party was open to supporting any party which supports some of their demands including 75 per cent reservation in government jobs for natives of Haryana under a common minimum programme (CMP).