Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Monday responded to criticism of his Jannayak Janta Party, pointing out that the party did not support either the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Congress during the election campaign, PTI reported. The Jannayak Janta Party forged an alliance with the saffron party on Friday to form the government after no party reached the majority mark.

“We neither sought votes for the BJP nor for the Congress,” Chautala told the media in Chandigarh. “People gave 18.60 lakh votes in JJP’s favour and we won on 10 seats. We decided to provide a stable government. Did we seek votes in the favour of those who are saying ‘vote kisiko, support kisiko’ [vote for someone, support for someone else]?”

The deputy chief minister was referring to Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s description of the BJP-JJP alliance as opportunistic and against the mandate. “The alliance has been forged in [a] manner of ‘vote kisiko, support kisiko,” Hooda had said on Sunday, according to IANS. “This government is based on self-interest. The JJP has disrespected the people’s mandate.”

Chautala alleged that gangs that captured land were active during the rule of the Congress government. He claimed 63,000 acres of farmers’ land were taken away in exchange for meagre sums.

Chautala said the ruling alliance would tread on the path of progress and prosperity, adding that farmers’ welfare, protection of women, and reduction in crime rate would be the government’s priority, ANI reported.

Dushyant Chautala’s brother and Jannayak Janta Party leader Digvijay Chautala also hit out at Hooda, saying he must be worried about going to prison.

After the results were announced on Thursday, the Congress reportedly urged the Jannayak Janta Party and Independent legislators to unite to keep the BJP out of power. However, its efforts did not succeed. On Friday, Dushyant Chautala and the BJP came to an agreement on the Jannayak Janta Party’s agenda, including 75% reservation for local youth in jobs in the state, and increase in old-age pension.

The BJP won 40 out of the 90 seats in the elections, six short of a majority in the 90-member house. The Congress won 31 seats, and the Jannayak Janta Party 10 seats.

Give time frame on poll promises: Kumari Selja

Meanwhile, Congress’ state unit President Kumari Selja on Monday asked the ruling parties to tell people by when they would complete their electoral promises. “People of the state want to know the time frame by when those promises will be fulfilled and allegations investigated,” PTI quoted her as saying.

She pointed out that the Jannayak Janta Party had levelled corruption allegations against the BJP when it was in Opposition. Selja said the public now wanted to know why it decided to support the saffron party despite “opposing them tooth and nail” during campaigns, adding it was being seen as a “betrayal of faith”.

The Congress leader also asked the BJP to fulfill promises made ahead of the 2014 elections, when Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar came to power for the first time. “If both parties respect people’s sentiments, then they should publicly state their position on electoral promises as well as allegations levelled against each other,” she added.

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