Haryana: Will Hooda get second term?

New Delhi: In Haryana, the big question now is will voices of dissent within the Congress prevent Bhupinder Singh Hooda from getting a second chance to be Chief Minister. What's also delaying a final decision is the lack of clarity on whether Kuldeep Singh Bishnoi's six MLAs will finally back the Congress.

Sources say, the Congress is waiting to hear from Bishnoi on its proposal that either his party merges with the Congress or gives unconditional support and only then will the deal on ministerial berths be worked out. (Haryana elections: Results)

Haryana: Where Congress stands

• House strength: 90
• Half-way mark: 45
• Congress+ Independents: 47
  

The party is said to have offered Bishnoi the deputy CM's post apart from accommodating two of his six MLAs as ministers.

To be in a comfortable position, the Congress needs the support of Bhajan Lal's son Kuldeep Bishnoi, a former Congress rebel, whose party has 6 MLAs who's now saying he wants to be part of the government.

"We have finalised that we will be supporting one of the parties to form the government because people have put faith in our party," said Kuldeep Bishnoi on Friday.

Chief Minister Bhupindra Singh Hooda on Friday met with the state Governor in Chandigarh. The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) which met in Chandigarh, authorised Sonia Gandhi to choose the leader.

Hooda, is still the frontrunner, as the Congress will find it difficult to distance itself from a Jat leader right now.

And amid all the drama, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala who may now have to sit in the Opposition, is accusing the Congress of horse trading.

"The people gave a mandate against the Congress. The Congress party is simply involved in horse-trading. Now the right thing to do is stop this horse-trading. It has become apparent, how the MLA's have been bought and kidnapped," said OP Chautala, Leader, INLD.