Haryana BJP-JJP coalition to set up panel to resolve issues in alliance
The decision to set up this panel to resolve alliance issues in Haryana is one of the key outcomes of the two-day Haryana visit of BJP’s national president Jagat Prakash Nadda
: Left with two years for its five-year term to end in October 2024, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janta Party (BJP-JJP) coalition in Haryana on Saturday agreed to again set up a coordination committee that will meet every month and resolve issues leading to differences among the alliance partners.
The coordination panel will have at least six leaders, including presidents of both the parties. The decision to set up this committee is one of the key outcomes of the two-day Haryana visit of BJP’s national president Jagat Prakash Nadda.
During his back-to-back series of meetings with grass root level party workers and the top state leadership, Nadda assessed the mood of the foot soldiers of the BJP and public perception about functioning of the BJP-JJP coalition government which is set to complete three years in power next month.
“In a coalition it is natural that issues emerge...BJP is committed to further strengthen its ties with the JJP,” Vinod Tawde, BJP’s Haryana affairs in charge, said while briefing reporters about Nadda’s visit and the issues discussed.
“During the BJP-JJP leaders meeting, the national BJP president JP Nadda also emphasised that chief minister and deputy chief minister should ensure coordination while dealing with problems of the people and formulating policies,” he said.
Tawde said the coordination panel will discuss upcoming elections, policies of the party and other issues in its meeting every month. He said during the meetings, BJP president Nadda also underlined the need of ensuring better coordination between the ministers and the organisation and the steps needed to strengthen the coalition.
The decision to set up coordination panel comes even as the fate of the committee set up when the government was formed to give final shape to the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) remains unknown.
After Dushyant Chautala of JJP was sworn in as the deputy chief minister, a committee was set up to hammer out the CMP. The BJP had entered into a post poll alliance with the JJP having 10 MLAs to form the government after the BJP won 40 seats in the October 2019 assembly elections and was short of a simple majority in the 90-member Vidhan Sabha.
Responding to a question, the BJP in-charge blamed the Covid-19 pandemic for BJP-JJP inability to hold coordination meetings in past two-and-a-half years.
Tawde said if the directions and suggestions the national BJP president has given are followed in letter and spirit, the state government will surely live up to the expectations of the people.
Asked what are the key expectations of the party from the state government, Tawde, who was guarded in his response, said the benefits of the schemes should reach the last man in the queue and that party should educate people about government policies and programmes.
Before wrapping his two-day Haryana visit, the BJP’s national president Nadda on Saturday met not only his own party leaders but also the leaders of JJP. The combined meeting of the BJP-JJP leaders was aimed at sending a message across about smooth relations between the allies.
Among the other back-to-back meetings Nadda chaired were the meeting of the state BJP’s core group, ,meeting with booth committee members that was followed by meeting with state general secretary (organisation), meetings with sportspersons, all the state office-bearers, and cabinet ministers.
On Friday night, the BJP president met state BJP chief OP Dhankar at his residence and discussed state affairs over dinner. On Saturday, Nadda held a luncheon meeting with chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
“The visit of BJP president began with a meeting with booth level party workers and he concluded the visit with a separate meeting with chief minister and state BJP chief,” said a BJP leader.
Tawde said a lengthy discussion was held on the works done by the ministers concerning their departments.
“They were asked about works they were doing in their department. Suggestions were given to the ministers on what more they can do in their respective departments in the remaining over two years, given that the people in Haryana re-elected us in 2019. The ministers were also told to prepare a roadmap of that,” he said.
“The need for having a better coordination between the party and the government was stressed as it helps good works of the government reach the public effectively,” he said.
State BJP unit to decide whether to contest panchayat polls on party symbol
Haryana BJP president OP Dhankar said that BJP’s national president J P Nadda has left it for the party’s state unit to take a call on whether to contest the upcoming panchayat polls in the state on the party symbol.
The dates for the panchayat polls are expected to be announced shortly.
Responding to a question if the BJP will contest the panchayat polls on the party symbol and whether the party will contest these elections in alliance with the JJP, Dhankar said, “the party’s election committee will take a decision on this once the poll dates are announced. The BJP national president has said that the state unit should take a call on this”. ENDS