New Haryana CM seeks to prove majority on Wednesday

Haryana's new Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said they have presented a letter of support of 48 MLAs to the governor and asked him to convene an assembly session on Wednesday so that the Bharatiya Janata Party government can prove its majority in the House.

Saini took oath as chief minister on Tuesday hours after the surprise resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar from the post along with his cabinet ministers.

"We have urged the governor to convene the assembly session tomorrow when we will prove our majority on the floor of the House," Saini told reporters in Chandigarh after assuming charge and holding a meeting of his cabinet.

When asked how many MLAs are in support of the government, Saini, who is also Haryana BJP chief, said, "We gave a letter of support of 48 MLAs to the governor."

In the 90-member state assembly, the BJP has 41 members, and it also enjoys support of six of the seven independents as well as of lone Haryana Lokhit Party MLA Gopal Kanda. The JJP has 10 MLAs in the House.

The main opposition Congress has 30 MLAs while the Indian National Lok Dal has one.

Amid differences over seat sharing for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP's alliance with the JJP has virtually come apart.

Saini said that in the cabinet meeting, a resolution was adopted to thank the works done by the outgoing Khattar cabinet.

"During the past nine-and-a-half years, he (Khattar) gave new direction to Haryana, presented example of good governance. 'Haryana Ek Haryanvi Ek' was not a mere slogan, but equitable development was carried out. We have worked without discrimination in the spirit of Antyodaya," Saini said.

The Khattar government has scripted history in many spheres be it online transfer policy of teachers or giving jobs on merit, he said.

Saini also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the party gave new responsibility to him.

"The new responsibility has been entrusted on me...we will work with full dedication and deliver on the expectations of people," he said.

He also said challenges come with responsibility and he is ready to face them.

Five MLAs -- four from the BJP and one independent -- were also sworn in as ministers. However, former home minister and six-term MLA from Ambala Cantt, Anil Vij, has not found a place in the new cabinet.

Saini, the 54-year-old OBC leader, was administered oath by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya at the oath-taking ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh.

Earlier in the day, Khattar and all 13 other members of the BJP-led council of ministers submitted their resignations to the governor as a team of the party's central observers arrived in Chandigarh.