Haryana – The much-touted no-confidence motion brought by the Congress against Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government in Haryana was defeated through a voice vote on Friday after the principal Opposition party MLAs walked out of the House following an acrimonious debate that continued beyond 10 pm. The outcome was expected given the BJP’s numerical strength in the 90-member Haryana Legislative Assembly.
Numbers Favor BJP Government
The no-confidence motion was destined to fail from the outset as the mathematical calculations clearly favored the ruling party. In the 90-member House, the BJP commands 48 MLAs, including the Speaker, while three Independents are also supporting the ruling party, giving them a comfortable majority. The Congress has 37 members, while the Indian National Lok Dal has two legislators, insufficient numbers to pass the no-confidence motion against the Saini government.
Lengthy Debate Extends Beyond Ten Hours
The heated debate on the no-confidence motion began at 5:23 pm during the second day of the Haryana Legislative Assembly Winter Session-2025 in Chandigarh. Members from across the political spectrum engaged in verbal sparring, taking potshots at each other throughout the evening. Opposition and ruling party members spoke until 8:23 pm, after which Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini took the floor to deliver his response.
Saini’s reply to the no-confidence motion continued until 10:10 pm, with his floor strategy appearing to tire the Opposition through his lengthy address. Congress MLAs repeatedly asked him to complete his speech and focus on substantive issues. Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda urged the Chief Minister to conclude, saying “Baat karo matlab ki” (speak to the point), reflecting growing frustration with the extended debate.
Congress Stages Walkout, Motion Defeated
Alleging that the Chief Minister was giving a vague reply to the issues raised in the no-confidence motion, Congress members led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda walked out of the House at 10 pm. Following the Opposition’s exit, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mahipal Dhanda moved that the no-confidence motion should be rejected unanimously. Speaker Harvinder Kalyan then put the motion to vote, which was rejected through a voice vote, and the House was adjourned at 10:13 pm.
The Congress had moved the no-confidence motion against the BJP government, which came to power for a third consecutive term in October 2024, just 14 months before this legislative challenge.
Core Allegations Against Saini Government
At the heart of the no-confidence motion were serious allegations by Congress leaders that the BJP came to power through “vote chori” (vote theft). The Opposition accused the government of presiding over deteriorating law and order conditions, implementing anti-people policies, and demonstrating weak governance across multiple sectors.
Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian kicked off the debate, followed by Hooda and several other Congress leaders who argued that the Saini government had lost the trust of every section of Haryana’s population. Congress Legislative Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged that through mismanagement, the government had transformed “loktantra” (democracy) into “tantralok” (system of oppression).
Opposition Highlights Governance Failures
Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal painted a grim picture during the debate on the no-confidence motion, stating: “An atmosphere of fear and corruption prevails in the state. Murder, rape, extortion and dacoity have become commonplace. The police are helpless. The suicides of senior police officers expose the gravity of the situation.”
The Congress emphasized unemployment as a critical failure, claiming that due to lack of opportunities, youth were risking their lives by migrating abroad, while government recruitments were not taking place. “The people of Haryana are exhausted by the system and want to get rid of this government. Hence, this no-confidence motion,” Congress leaders declared.
They also alleged electoral malpractices, claiming that fake ration cards were created during elections to add beneficiaries and were later cancelled, leading to loss of public trust.
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Saini’s Spirited Defense
In a reply peppered with humor and criticism of the Congress, Chief Minister Saini characterized the no-confidence motion as hastily drafted in panic. He repeatedly questioned who had authored the notice, challenging the Opposition’s preparation and seriousness.
“Our vision is not narrow, as the Congress has alleged. Our focus is like that of Arjun in the Mahabharata. Our vision is ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayas,'” Saini said, invoking the popular BJP slogan while taking a swipe at the Opposition.
The Chief Minister defended his government’s record by reeling out statistics to counter Congress’s contentions about deteriorating law and order. “We have been continuously working to uplift every section of society. We are burning the midnight oil to fulfill the aspirations of the people, ensuring last-mile delivery and smiles on the faces of those standing last in the queue,” Saini asserted.
BJP Ministers Launch Counterattack
The BJP fielded its top leaders to defend against the no-confidence motion. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mahipal Dhanda recounted government achievements and described the Congress challenge as an eyewash and attempt to mislead people. “Our performance speaks for itself and people are rewarding us for our performance,” Dhanda said, directly countering the “vote chori” allegations.
Irrigation Minister Shruti Choudhry questioned the relevance of bringing a no-confidence motion against a government with clear majority support. “This government enjoys the absolute confidence of the House and the people of the state,” she declared.
INLD Attacks Both Parties
INLD legislator Aditya Devilal attacked both the ruling BJP and the Congress during debate on the no-confidence motion. “This is a no-confidence motion behind which is Hooda and not the Congress. By this motion, Hooda has attempted to wash his sins of helping the BJP form the government,” he said, before walking out. The INLD questioned why Congress did not seek their support for the motion, suggesting the effort lacked seriousness and cross-party coordination.
