Putting to rest the ongoing speculations regarding change in the state leadership, BJP president Amit Shah today said that Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will continue in office.
When specifically asked to comment on the speculations that Khattar is likely to be changed in coming days, in the wake of reports on "dissident" activities by at least 16 MLAs, Shah said, "there is no change".
63-year-old Khattar, a former RSS pracharak, was picked up as the Chief Minister after BJP formed government in Haryana on its own in 2014, for the first time.
There were many front runners for the Chief Minister's post when BJP came to power in the state including Anil Vij, Ram Bilas Sharma and Capt Abhimanyu, all of whom are ministers now, but Khattar pipped them to become the CM.
At least 16 MLAs of BJP have openly expressed their unhappiness in the past, amid friction with the state bureaucracy.
On some party MLAs and even workers being unhappy, Shah said, "I meet all of them, you need not be worried".
When asked about the rising dissent among party leaders in the state, the BJP chief countered a reporter and asked him to name the 'dissident' MLAs.
Shah also praised the Khattar Government, especially its performance in improving the skewed sex ratio in the state.
Notably, Shah will be undertaking a three-day Haryana tour, as part of his nationwide "vistaar mission", in July.
On being asked that Chandigarh BJP MP Kirron Kher is not getting enough support from the party's local leadership, Shah said, "she is doing good work and all of them are supporting her".
On the issue of Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, Shah said, "whatever the present situation is that remains".
When asked that Modi government was against "VIP culture" but Chandigarh today was dotted with BJP flags and posters in view of his visit, Shah said, "putting up flag is not a VIP culture...".
To a related question on traffic diversion due to his visit, Shah said, "there is no role of party in this. If local administration diverted the route, then they kept in mind the convenience of people".
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)