Despite Independents on board, why BJP allied with JJP in Haryana

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], Oct 26 (ANI): By aligning with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Haryana, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ensured that it has a partner by its side to acknowledge Jat sentiments.
After the new arrangement, JJP will now be held responsible as a symbol to fulfil the Jat aspirations and the BJP would shield itself from the anger of the influential community in Haryana politics.
Sources in the party privy to the alliance said that the JJP, which has secured 10 seats in the Haryana Assembly polls, had ridden on a strong Jat polarisation but entering into an alliance with the BJP has made some of its staunch supporters angry.
The move is expected to shield the BJP from Jat anger as the accommodation of the JJP would now put the onus on Dushyant Chautala-led party to reach out and maintain a cordial relationship with the community.
The party hopes that the alliance would also help ensure that Jats would be weaned away from the Congress, which has been trying to woo them through their strongman Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Despite flaunting the support of the independents enough to reach majority figure to form the government, the BJP said it has stitched an alliance with the JJP for a 'stable government'.
Party sources also stated that securing the support of independent MLAs would also make sure that the JJP is unable to arm-twist the BJP after the government formation.
"We have independents who had showed their letters of support. But having the JJP on our side has ensured that the BJP will distance itself from the anti-Jat image. Almost all of our strong Jat leaders lost this election. We need to take that into account as well," stated a senior BJP leader.
According to sources, BJP chief Amit Shah was in touch with the JJP leadership ever since the poll trends started coming in. The party had also roped in MoS Finance Anurag Thakur to reach out to Dushyant Chautala as they have a long-standing cordial relationship.
BJP won 40 seats in the 90-member assembly while JJP bagged 10 seats in its debut polls. Congress won 31 seats in the state. Eight seats went to Independents including Haryana Lokhit Party's Gopal Kanda. (ANI)