CHANDIGARH: The five-day old government in Haryana state headed by OM Parkash Chautala who was sworn in just last week was reduced to a minority on Tuesday following the disqualification of three ruling Janata Dal (S) legislators including a minister by the Assembly Speaker H.S. Chatha under the anti-defection law.
Those disqualified are State minister for sports Vasudev Sharma deputy chairman of the Planning Board Ram Narain and Azmat Khan a former minister.
The party strength is now 39 in a house of 80 including the speaker two less than the simple majority. However it has the support of four independents.
Two other independent legislators who were earlier supporting the party did not attend the JD(S) legislature party meeting on Friday in which Chautala was elected legislature party chief. They stayed away in protest against Chantala’s return.
The three disqualified legislatures were in the Janata Dal put later joined the Janata Dal (S). The leader of the Janata Dal legislature party in the Haryana assembly B.D.Gupta and a former chief minister had moved an application before the speaker seeking their disqualification.
Chautala flew to Delhi following the speaker’s decision.
Last year a comeback bid by Chauthala was aborted after the then PM V.P Singh and a few of his colleagues threatened to resign if he remained chief minister.
The Janata Dal has 15 members in the 80 member house.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 29, 1991
