Had 'meaningful dialogue' on various topics, says Haryana CM after meeting 2 JJP MLAs

Chandigarh, Jun 5 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said he had a "meaningful dialogue" on various topics after the two JJP MLAs Jogi Ram Sihag and Ramniwas Surjakhera met him at his residence here on Wednesday evening.

Saini shared the photos of the meeting with the two MLAs on X.

The chief minister said he met the two legislators in the presence of newly elected BJP MP from Karnal and former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

"Today at the chief minister's residence 'Sant Kabir Kutir' here in the presence of newly elected MP from Karnal Lok Sabha (seat) and former chief minister Shri @mlkhattar ji, met the honourable MLA Shri Jogiram Sihag ji and Shri Ramniwas Surjakhera ji and had a meaningful dialogue on various topics," Saini posted on X in Hindi.

The meeting assumes significance as the opposition Congress, referring to three Independent MLAs withdrawing support from the Nayab Singh Saini government last month, has been claiming the BJP dispensation is in minority.

Speaking in Rohtak on Wednesday, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda reiterated the governor should dismiss the "minority" BJP government and elections be held at the earliest.

The Saini government has, however, repeatedly maintained there is no threat to the government and has further stated it had won the trust vote in March.

Meanwhile, Saini also said he held a meeting with his party MLAs at his official residence Wednesday evening.

In the meeting, necessary guidelines were given after detailed discussions on various topics, said Saini, while referring to the meeting, which came a day after the Lok Sabha results were out.

The BJP, which had won all 10 seats in Haryana in 2019, lost five of them to the Congress this time. Assembly polls are due in Haryana in October.

In March, Saini had taken oath as the new chief minister after his party effected a leadership change replacing Khattar.

The JJP had last month moved a petition before the Haryana Assembly Speaker seeking disqualification of the two party MLAs --” Ramniwas Surjakhera and Jogi Ram Sihag --” under the anti-defection law for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities.

Talking to the media after their meeting with the chief minister, Sihag said, when JJP's alliance with the BJP ended in March, he had said his support to the BJP government would continue.

"We are with the government," he said in presence of Surjakhera. Surjakhera said he is with the "pro-people" policies of the government.

Randhir Singh, JJP office secretary, had last month alleged Surjakhera and Sihag both had campaigned for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and sought votes for the ruling party candidates.

Surjakhera campaigned in Narwana while Sihag campaigned in Hisar for the BJP despite the JJP having fielded its candidates on all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, he had said.

The JJP contested all the 10 Lok Sabha seats, but it received a severe drubbing in the polls. PTI SUN MNK MNK