Will not take support of Gopal Kanda: BJP takes a clear stand

Chandigarh, Oct 26: The BJP on Saturday said it will not take the support of Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda, a controversial politician who faces two abetment-to-suicide cases, for forming the government in Haryana. The BJP drew flak on Friday when Kanda and six other independent MLAs were seen at Haryana Bhawan in the national capital. Later, Kanda also claimed that he would support the BJP which fell six seats short of majority needed in Haryana Assembly to form government.

"I want to clarify one thing that the BJP is not going to take the support of Kanda," Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in Chandigarh today.

"No question of including Gopal Kanda in the government, neither are we taking his support," Anil Vij, who was a minister in Khattar's cabinet, told ANI.

Veteran BJP leader and former union minister Uma Bharti Uma Bharti on Friday warned the party against taking the support of Gopal Kanda to form government in Haryana. She tweeted that there are many cases pending against Kanda and winning elections does not 'acquitt' him.

Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda and seven other legislators have agreed to support the BJP which fell six seats short of the majority mark needed to form government in Haryana. Kanda was with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) 2009. When the INLD did not field him, he contested as an independent candidate and won. With the Hooda-led Congress falling short of a majority, he had lent support become a minister. He facing charges in many cases.

Today, however, the BJP staked claim to form the government in Haryana on Saturday with the support of the Dushyant Chautala-led JJP. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Manohar Lal Khattar and state party chief Subhash Barala, met Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya for staking claim to form the government. Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Chautala also met the governor and gave his party's letter of support to him.

The JJP has extended support to the saffron party. Prasad and BJP general secretary Arun Singh were present as the party's central observers. Some of the Independent MLAs, who have pledged their unconditional support to the saffron party, were also present.

Earlier, Khattar was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP's legislative party in Haryana, with the saffron party claiming that it would provide a "stable and honest" government in Haryana with the support of the JJP.

The BJP also clarified that there would be only one deputy chief minister in the party-led coalition government in the state.