Chandigarh: A Haryana legislator, who has been booked for cheating, on Thursday gave an ultimatum to the BJP-led, post-election alliance government that he was withdrawing his support to it.
Meham legislator Balraj Kundu said he would submit a letter stating so to the Assembly Speaker on Friday.
Hitting out at Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, he told the media here that he has extended support to the Chief Minister for his clean credentials.
“I had extended my support to an honest government and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Now, I have realized that their display of honesty is a farce. I will hand over a letter to the Assembly Speaker to withdraw my support tomorrow,” Kundu said.
Police last month booked Kundu and his brother Shivraj Kundu for allegedly cheating Rohtak resident Narender Dhankhar.
“If the CM (Chief Minister) is not taking action against his leader (and former minister) Manish Grover, I will be forced to withdraw my support to this government,” Kundu had told the media in Rohtak town soon after he was booked.
“I am giving a month’s time to the Chief Minister to act against Grover,” he had said, adding: “I know that the withdrawal of my support will have no impact on the government stability as without me it has the support of 56 legislators, but my fight against the corrupt would continue.”
Kundu, along with the supporters, had reached a police station and dared authorities to arrest him for the case registered against him. The police had told him that the case was under investigation.
He alleged irregularities in sugar mills in the state since the BJP came to power in the state in 2014. He sought a probe against former state Cooperatives Minister Grover, alleging that he had caused a huge loss to the state exchequer by showing sugar mills in losses during his tenure as minister.
The Meham legislator, a BJP turncoat, had won polls as an Independent after being denied party ticket.
In October last year, the BJP won 40 seats and was six short of a majority in the 90-member Assembly.
Besides the Jannayak Janta Party’s (JJP) 10 MLAs, seven Independents have also extended support to the BJP, helping it reach a tally of 57 seats in the 90 member house.
