A no-confidence motion moved by the Congress against the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government in Haryana was defeated in the state Assembly on Friday after a voice vote, following a walkout by Congress MLAs. The Opposition alleged that the chief minister failed to give satisfactory replies to the issues raised during the debate on the motion.

The motion was brought by senior Congress leader Raghuvir Singh Kadian and was discussed in the House for nearly five hours, with proceedings continuing until around 10.15 pm. However, before the voting could take place, Congress legislators walked out of the Assembly, accusing the government of not taking their concerns seriously. After the Congress MLAs exited the House, Speaker Harvinder Kalyan put the no-confidence motion to a vote.

With the Opposition absent, the motion was rejected through a voice vote. Hitting back at the Congress, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini criticised the party for walking out instead of facing the vote. Referring to a similar incident earlier this year, Saini said, “Even in February 2024, the Congress staged a walkout after bringing a no-confidence motion. They made allegations and then ran away.”

The Haryana Vidhan Sabha has a total strength of 90 members. The ruling BJP currently has 48 MLAs, while the Congress has 37. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has two MLAs, and three members are Independents.

During the debate, the Congress raised several issues against the BJP government. These included allegations about the poor and dilapidated condition of sports facilities and equipment in sports complexes across the state, alleged vote theft, and the alleged misuse of government machinery by the BJP to form the government after the October 2024 Assembly elections.

Tensions flared during the chief minister’s reply when Raghuvir Singh Kadian objected to some of Saini’s remarks. Expressing strong displeasure, Kadian said, “Sometimes you call me old. That I do not walk like wrestlers, the way you do. But push me, and in two minutes I will strike, the head will be hit.” He further reminded the chief minister of the importance of the process and added, “You are the leader of the House. In a democratic setup, a no-confidence motion is a very important step. You are not grasping its seriousness.”

Responding to Kadian’s objections, Chief Minister Saini clarified that he had not used any unparliamentary language. He said such expressions were commonly used in rural areas and stressed that he respected the senior Congress leader. Saini stated that he had full regard for Kadian and did not intend to insult him. Opposing the no-confidence motion, several ministers from the ruling BJP addressed the House. Minister Krishan Bedi took a sharp dig at the Congress and said, “Three defeats have disturbed the mental balance of the Opposition.”

Forests and Environment Minister Rao Narender Singh also questioned the logic behind the Congress bringing a no-confidence motion against a government that enjoys a clear majority. He said, “I cannot understand why the Congress legislators have brought a no-confidence motion against a government with a full majority, which has just completed 14 months. In my political career, I have seen such motions brought by the largest Opposition party only when there is a coalition government of two or three parties. I don’t know why they brought this one.”

INLD MLA Arjun Chautala also raised questions about the seriousness of the Congress. He pointed out that some Congress legislators were not even present in the House during the discussion on the motion, indicating a lack of commitment to the issue they had raised.

During his reply, Chief Minister Saini defended his government’s performance and rejected the allegations made by the Congress. He claimed that crime rates in Haryana had declined significantly compared to the period when the Congress was in power. Presenting figures, Saini said, “Compared to

the Congress regime, murders have fallen by 12.75 per cent, dacoity incidents by 49.41 per cent, riots by 20.78 per cent and robberies by 10.52 per cent.”

On the issue of unemployment, the chief minister dismissed the Congress’s claims and highlighted the number of government jobs provided under the BJP government. He said nearly two lakh youths had secured permanent government jobs purely on merit during the BJP’s tenure, compared to 86,000 jobs during the Congress’s ten years in power.

Addressing criticism over financial management, Saini compared the debt situation under the two regimes. He said that during the Congress government’s decade in power from 2004-05 to 2014-15, debt liabilities increased by 458.30 per cent. In contrast, under the BJP government from 2014-15 to 2024-25, the increase was 227.49 per cent, which he said was less than half of the earlier period.

Referring to budget estimates, the chief minister stated, “According to the 2025-26 budget estimates, the state’s fiscal deficit is projected at 2.67 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product, below the 3 per cent limit prescribed by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003.”

He further underlined the state’s debt repayment record and said, “Over the past decade, Rs 3,66,016 crore was paid towards debt servicing, including Rs. 1,61,796 crore in interest and Rs 2,04,220 crore as principal, all settled on schedule with no defaults, which reflects a sustainable debt position.”

With the rejection of the no-confidence motion after the Congress walkout, the BJP government led by Nayab Singh Saini comfortably retained its position in the Haryana Assembly, bringing the high-voltage debate to a close.