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Khattar to head Haryana govt again, Dushyant deputy CM

By The Assam Tribune

CHANDIGARH, Oct 26 - Manohar Lal Khattar is all set to head a new government in Haryana with JJP leader Dushyant Chautala as his deputy after the Governor on Saturday invited him to lead the coalition which also has the support of seven independents.

Khattar, Dushyant and some ministers will be sworn in at 2:15 pm at the Haryana Raj Bhavan on Sunday.

The day saw fast-paced developments with 65-year-old Khattar unanimously elected leader of the BJP�s legislative party in Haryana after which the BJP along with the support of the JJP and seven independents staked claim before Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya to form the government.

Khattar said the Governor was informed that a total of 57 MLAs � 40 of the BJP, 10 of the JJP and seven independents � have come together to form the government.

�The Governor accepted it and invited us to form the government on Sunday,� Khattar said, adding Dushyant would take oath as his deputy. He said the names of the ministers, who will also take oath, will be made known on Sunday.

The BJP, however, said that it would not take the support of controversial Sirsa MLA Gopal Kanda, who faces two abetment-to-suicide cases.

Dushyant told reporters that the BJP and the JJP have taken a decision to give a stable government for five years. Asked about the Congress�s accusation that the JJP was not respecting people�s mandate as it fought the polls against the BJP, he replied, �I want to ask: did we fight this battle together with Congress? The people gave this mandate against the Congress too.�

On his father Ajay Singh Chautala�s release on furlough for two weeks, Dushyant said as per jail manual, he could not have come out before Sunday as the model code of conduct was in place in the state till Saturday. �He is coming out to celebrate Diwali with the family,� he said.

Earlier, Khattar and his cabinet colleagues submitted their resignations to the Governor, which were accepted. The Governor asked Khattar to continue as the interim chief minister till the new government took over.

In the 90-member Haryana Assembly, a minimum strength of 46 MLAs is required to form the government. � PTI

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