Haryana CM meets senior BJP leaders, likely to finalise council of ministers

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar (File Photo: IANS)


Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar met senior BJP leaders and central ministers in New Delhi on induction of his council of ministers on Sunday.

The day-long visit of Khattar along with his deputy Dushyant Chautala is crucial ahead of the state Assembly session beginning from Monday.

“During his visit, Khattar is likely to finalise names for his council of ministers,” a senior BJP legislator told IANS.

He said that the council of ministers would be inducted after a three-day special Assembly session, and by next week, there would be induction of 11 ministers in the cabinet.

All 90 legislators will take oath of office on the first day of the session while on the second and third day, there will be Governor’s address and the reply to his address, respectively.

On October 27, Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as CM while Dushyant Chautala as deputy after a post-poll alliance. Both were running a bitter campaign during the pools campaign.

Dushyant Chautala led JJP in its poll manifesto had promised to implement 75 per cent reservation for youth of Haryana in private jobs.

“We are going to bring a Bill in the next Vidhan Sabha (winter) session, enabling job reservation of 75 per cent in private jobs,” Dushyant told media here.

He said that both the JJP and BJP have agreed to put in place a common minimum programme by constituting a panel comprising two MLAs, one from each party, members of the manifesto committed of both parties and government functionalities.

“Both the JJP and the BJP have almost 60 per cent common points in their manifestos,” Dushyant added.

“We (the JJP and the BJP) will ensure to give corruption-free government,” the 31-year-old Dushyant, a business administration graduate from California State University, said.

Sources said to IANS that the JJP, besides the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, has been eyeing crucial portfolios of Home, Finance, Excise and Taxation.

It is learnt that senior BJP leaders like six-time legislator Anil Vij, who earlier was Health and Sports Minister, is not happy with the party’s portfolio-sharing formula with the JJP. He has been eyeing the Deputy Chief Minister’s post for his seniority.

There will be 13 ministers in the coalition government including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.

There may be some understanding of giving three berths to both the JJP and independents and the BJP wants to keep the remaining eight posts in the council of ministers for itself, said a source to IANS.