Haryana: Manohar Lal Khattar resigns, Nayab Singh Saini next CM amid cracks in BJP-JJP alliance | Top updates

Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday resigned as chief minister of Haryana after cracks appeared in the ruling coalition of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. A Haryana government spokesperson said Manohar Lal Khattar has handed over the resignation letter along with his cabinet to the Haryana governor.

BJP leader Nayab Singh Saini is set to become the new chief minister of Haryana, succeeding Manohar Lal Khattar. He will take the oath of office at 5pm on Tuesday.

The ties between the BJP and deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala-led JJP had worsened following their failure to reach a seat-sharing agreement in the state for the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2019 elections. Follow live updates on Haryana political crisis

Also Read | Manohar Lal Khattar resigns: How BJP plans to survive Haryana crisis

Manohar Lal Khattar resigns: Top updates

• BJP claimed that it has enough numbers - 41 MLAs, plus five independents, taking it past the half-way mark of 45 seats in the Haryana assembly.
• State BJP chief Naib Singh Saini replaced Manohar Lal Khattar.
• After tendering the resignation at Raj Bhawan, Manohar Lal Khattar, BJP cabinet ministers and MLAs held a meeting in Haryana Niwas with Haryana BJP incharge Biplab Kumar Deb, Nayab Saini, observers Arjun Munda (central minister) and Tarun Chug (national general secretary) former state BJP chief and Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Barala.
• Independent MLA Nayan Pal Rawat earlier on Tuesday claimed that the alliance was at a breakpoint but some independent MLAs who support the BJP government would ensure its survival, news agency ANI reported.
• Another independent MLA Dharampal Gonder said the independent MLAs were supporting the BJP-led government.
• Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) MLA Gopal Kanda earlier claimed that the alliance between the BJP and the JJP was at a breakpoint but the BJP could win all 10 Lok Sabha seats from the state on its own.
• In the 90-member Haryana assembly the BJP has 41 MLAs, it also enjoys the support of 5 independent MLAs and the HLP MLA Gopal Kanda.
• The top leadership of both the BJP and JJP (Jannayak Janata Party) have called separate meetings of their respective MLAs.
• The nature of change is not clear, with senior party leaders keeping mum.
• Opposition reacts: Congress MP Deepender Hooda said, “All that is happening in Haryana is because the public has decided to bring change. The public was upset with the present government in the state. We are keeping a close eye on the developments.”
• Congress leader and former CM Bhupinder Hooda said, “We always knew the BJP- JJP alliance was made just to mislead people and now it's become clear that they were always based on nothing. People have seen through them and will vote for us.”