The political landscape in Haryana took a new turn as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ejected its ally Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) from the government ahead of the elections. Manohar Lal Khattar stepped down as chief minister, bringing an end to the over four-year-old coalition government formed with the help of JJP in 2019. Hours later, Nayab Saini took over as the head of a BJP government supported by independent MLAs.

This development not only leaves Dushyant Chautala, who was BJP’s ally five years ago, out of power in the state but also raises the possibility of a split within the JJP’s ranks. The BJP had won 40 seats in the 90-member Haryana assembly in 2019 and formed a post-poll alliance with JJP, which had won 10 seats. Dushyant Chautala was made the state’s deputy chief minister, ensuring a second term for Khattar as chief minister.

Reports suggest that the alliance came to an end due to differences over seat sharing for Lok Sabha elections. While the BJP, which had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2019, was unwilling to give more than one seat to its ally, the JJP demanded two seats and was not ready to settle for less.

Interestingly, neither of the two parties has officially announced the end of the alliance. Dushyant Chautala expressed his gratitude to the people of Haryana for giving him the opportunity to serve as the state’s deputy chief minister in a social media post.

For the BJP, the change in leadership could be part of its strategy to combat potential incumbency ahead of the elections. The party has successfully implemented this strategy in states like Uttarakhand and Gujarat, where it changed incumbent chief ministers before state polls and reaped political benefits. Additionally, the BJP would be keen on maintaining the support of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The selection of Saini as chief minister aligns with the party’s attempts to secure OBC support amidst calls for caste census.

While the BJP may have strengthened its position in the state with these changes, Dushyant Chautala now faces significant challenges. He has not only lost power but also risks losing his own MLAs. Four JJP MLAs were absent from an important party meeting called by Chautala but were present at the swearing-in ceremony of Nayab Saini.

The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) was formed after a split within the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Chautala family. While Abhay Chautala remained with the parent party, Dushyant and Digvijay, sons of his elder brother Ajay Singh Chautala, founded the JJP.

The fate of the alliance between the BJP and JJP is yet to be officially announced, with the JJP’s Haryana unit chief stating that decisions will be made during a rally on Ajay Chautala’s birthday. In recent times, several parties have seen their MLAs align with the BJP, either through alliances or by joining the saffron party. The Congress, in particular, has lost several leaders and governments to the BJP in states like Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Rebel MLAs from the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra have also joined the BJP.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party under Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a third term at the Centre, leaders from various political backgrounds are attempting to associate themselves with the party for a secure political future.