New Delhi: With Bharatiya Janata Party falling short of majority, and Congress hovering near about, in the Haryana Assembly elections,  the independent candidates assume a key role in the formation of government in the state.

Also the role of Jannayak Janata Party which won 10 seats, becomes crucial.

As the suspense over whose government it will be in the state continues, Haryana Lokhit Party head Gopal Kanda, who won from Sirsa assembly constituency met BJP’s working president J P Nadda on Thursday night.

Sources said that Kanda is in touch with five more MLAs and they will extend their "unconditional support" to the ruling party.

BJP which fell six seats short of majority in the state, is now counting on the support of independent candidates  to form government.

BJP MP Sunita Duggal also met BJP Working President J P Nadda, along with Gopal Kanda. “I informed our senior leaders about the independent candidates and leaders from other parties, who are willing to extend their unconditional support to us, they are in contact with them,” she said.

Sources said that Kanda can also bring the support of other ally MLAs for BJP.  He has previously supported the Congress government also.

Haryana on Thursday ended up with a hung assembly with the ruling BJP emerging as the largest party with 40 seats, but still six short of the halfway mark needed to form the next government.

Eight independent candidates registered victory in the elections and they are expected to play a key role in government formation in the state.

Dushyant Chautala to Meet JJP MLAs:

Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala, who has emerged as kingmaker in Haryana, will be meeting his 10 legislators in Delhi on Friday to decide which party to support in order to form the next government in the state. Though Chautala has remained non-committal on whether his party would support the BJP or the Congress, party sources said that he is likely to meet Union Home Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah soon.

Sources also said that the BJP too would like to have him onboard and make him an equal stakeholder in the state government as it would help reduce dependence on Independents, even though many of them are BJP rebels.

Haryana Mandate:

The Haryana Assembly poll verdict threw up a fractured mandate with the Congress winning 31 of the 90 seats at stake and the BJP bagging 40 seats. The half-way mark is 46.