Chandigarh, Oct 27, 2019: Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as the Haryana chief minister for a second term on Sunday and will lead the BJP-JJP (Jannayak Janata Party) coalition government in the state. JJP leader Dushyant Chautala took oath as his deputy, a day after the governor invited him to lead the alliance that also has the support of seven Independents.
Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered the oath at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan here on Diwali.
BJP working president JP Nadda, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union ministers Krishan Pal Gurjar, RL Kataria, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal were present on the occasion.
Dushyant Chautala’s father Ajay Chautala, who stepped out of the Tihar jail on Saturday on a furlough, also attended the event. Dushyant Chautala’s mother Naina Chautala, who has been re-elected MLA for the second time, was also present. Ajay Chautala is lodged in the Tihar jail in Delhi after his conviction in a teachers’ recruitment scam.
Khattar was unanimously elected leader of the BJP’s legislative party in Haryana on Saturday after which the BJP staked claim before Governor Arya to form the government.
Khattar said a total of 57 MLAs — 40 of the BJP, 10 of the JJP and seven Independents — have come together to form the government.