As Bhupinder Singh Hooda today began his second consecutive innings as Chief Minister of Haryana, a battle of nerves was on between the Congress and the Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) led by ex-Congressman Bhajan Lal.

With the government in place with support from seven Independent MLAs, the Congress was said to be driving a hard bargain, telling the HJC to merge with it. The HJC, Congress sources said, was more interested in extracting the optimum price for extending support.

“No way shall we merge our party with the Congress,” HJC leader and Bhajan Lal’s son Kuldeep Bishnoi told The Indian Express. With its initial demand for Hooda’s replacement becoming a non-issue after he took oath today, the HJC was demanding the Deputy CM’s post, induction of Bhajan Lal in the Union Cabinet and one more ministerial berth in the state.

The HJC has six MLAs while the Congress has 40 and the support of seven Independents in a House of 90.

“We can give them something in the state Cabinet and can even consider giving them the Deputy CM’s post, but they have to merge the HJC with the Congress. That is the only way to ensure a stable government. They are all ex-Congressmen, they should not have any problem,” said a senior Congress leader involved in the negotiations.

While rejecting the merger proposal, Bishnoi said the HJC would take a decision tomorrow on its support to the government. “All we want that our promises to the people in our manifesto should be fulfilled,” he said. Though no longer the king-maker after Congress secured the support of Independents, the HJC leadership was also driving a hard bargain. “They cannot have a stable government without us,” said Bishnoi.

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