As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 40 seats and emerged as the single largest party though six short of majority, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is expected to meet Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya on Friday to stake claim to form the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for the second consecutive term.

Haryana voted for a hung assembly but the results spurred up a few surprises. The Congress saw a surge in its performance, winning 31 seats in the 90-member Haryana Legislative Assembly. Dushyant Chautala led Debutant Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) won 10 seats and the key to the Haryana Legislative Assembly. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) won a seat each, with Independent candidates winning seven. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was not able to open its account though it contested on 46 seats.

Ahead of this, Khattar is expected to get support of Independent legislators, two of them are Lokhit Party (HLP) chief Gopal Kanda, who won from Sirsa, and the Congress rebel Ranjit Singh, youngest son of Jat leader late Chaudhary Devi Lal, who won from the Rania seat as an Independent candidate.

The latter has extended unconditional support, while the former is seeking a Cabinet berth. Both are camping in Delhi. The other Independents are Nayan Pal Rawat (Prithla), Randhir Singh Gollen (Pundri), Somvir Sangwan (Dadri), Balraj Kundu (Meham) and Rakesh Daultabad (Badshapur).

Khattar on Friday morning left for New Delhi to meet party national President Amit Shah and other Independent Legislators as the BJP is banking upon the support of six of the seven independents to form the next government.

It is learnt that the BJP parliamentary board has decided to retain Khattar as the party leader.

With neither the BJP nor Congress getting the majority, all eyes would be on the JJP and Independents whose support would prove to be crucial in the formation of the new government in the state.

With neither the BJP nor Congress getting the majority, all eyes would be on the JJP and others whose support would prove to be crucial in the formation of the new government in the state.

Election to the 90-seat Legislative Assembly of Haryana was held in a single phase on October 21. The voter turnout showed a slump this time with Haryana registering 65 per cent, down from 76.54 per cent in 2014.