Rohtak- Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Haryana slated on May 25 in all 10 Parliamentary seats in the state, the Congress on Tuesday got a major shot in the arm as three Independent legislators extended their support to the grand old party.
The legislators are Somveer Sangwan from Charkhi Dadri, Randhir Golan from Pundri, and Dharampal Gondar from Nilokheri. They withdrew their support from the BJP.
Responding to the development, senior Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the BJP government has lost majority after the withdrawal of support from the JJP and three Independents.
"The Assembly elections should be conducted immediately by imposing President's Rule in Haryana, because today not only just the public but also the people who voted and supported the BJP are unhappy with the policies of the government, " he told the media here.
The three legislators announced their support while addressing the media in the presence of Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state unit Congress president Chaudhary Udaibhan.
The three MLAs have sent letters withdrawing their support from the government to the Governor.
The legislators submitted that the public was tried of the BJP, and now there was no justification in giving opportunity to the BJP because every section is unhappy with unemployment, inflation, increasing crime, family identity and property identities in the government.
They jointly said every class, including farmers, labourers, employees and traders are agitating today.
The Independent MLAs added they tried to warn the BJP on different occasions while they were in the government but the BJP did not give up its stubbornness. The MLAs stated that now the public's expectations are only from the Congress.
Bhupinder Hooda, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to the three legislators for their support and said they had taken this decision, keeping in mind public sentiments.
"Their right decision, taken at the right time, will definitely bear fruit. The Congress' victory is certain in the Lok Sabha and upcoming Assembly elections, " he said.
"BJP leaders and workers themselves are fed up with this government. This is the reason why many people are leaving the BJP and joining the Congress. Till now, more than 100 big leaders, including MLAs, former MLAs, MPs and former MPs, have joined the Congress from other parties in the last one and a half years, " Hooda added.
Following the resignations of Independent MLA Ranjit Chautala and former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar from the 90-member Haryana Assembly, the BJP now has only 40 MLAs out of 88.
After the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) with 10 legislators withdrew their support in March, the BJP enjoyed the support of five Independent MLAs and the Haryana Lokhit Party legislator Gopal Kanda.
Now, three Independent MLAs have extended support to the Congress.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini secured the trust vote after assuming the role of Chief Minister in March. He will also be contesting the Karnal Assembly by-election on May 25.
The main opposition Congress has 30 MLAs while the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has one.