The BJP is set to retain power in Haryana, where it fell short of a majority, with Haryana Lokhit Party's Gopal Kanda declaring today that six independent MLAs were ready to give unconditional support to the ruling party. The announcement comes aftera series of meetings held since yesterday following a hung verdict in theHaryana election as the BJP, which emerged as the largest party, reached out to eight independent MLAs. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, in Delhi to meet the BJP leadership, had said he was optimistic about forming government soon. A meeting at Home Minister Amit Shah's home that started late at night continuedinto the early hours of Friday. The BJP, which set itself a target of 75 seatsin the 90-member Haryana Assembly, ended up with 40 seats after votes were counted yesterday. The Congress, with 31 seats, reached out to Dushyant Chautala's Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) for an alliance, but it will need morethan JJP's 10 MLAs to score a majority.

"We will support the BJP unconditionally. My father wasin the RSS, so we are part of the family. We have all agreed to support theBJP," Gopal Kanda said.

Chief Minister Khattar flew to Delhi at around 9.30 am in ahelicopter, which he boarded from his official residence in Chandigarh."We are going to form the government in Haryana. I am optimistic," MrKhattar told reporters this morning.

Gopal Kanda, 53, has a controversial record. The 53-year-oldMLA, who resigned from Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's cabinet in 2012after being accused of abetting the suicide of an air hostess, was reportedlyflown by BJP MP Sunita Duggal to Delhi last night for a meeting with partyleadership.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has hit out at GopalKanda, who was earlier with the opposition party. "When Kanda was aminister in Congress he was an aaropi (accused) but now look what is happening- this is doublespeak. The truth is that this is 'aya ram, gaya ram'. A partythat cannot get majority should not form the government".

The BJP has been called out by one senior leader Uma Bhartifor taking the support of Gopal Kanda. "I would like to request the partynot to forget its moral foundation," the former Union Minister said in aseries of tweets.

The others expected to support the BJP are Nayan Pal Rawat,Dharampal Godar, Sombir Sanghwan, Balraj Kundu, Randhir Gaundal and RanjitSingh. Randhir Golan, who was elected from Pundri, said: "I was BJP workerfor 30 years. I was in BJP, where did I go? BJP is my mother".

Dushyant Chautala, whose Jannayak Janta Party won 10 seats,had hoped to play kingmaker but he faded in importance with the BJP needingjust six more seats and making up the shortfall with independents. Mr Chautalawas contacted by the Congress for a possible alliance but he was non-committal.

Speaking to reporters after his party's National Executivemeeting, Mr Chautala insisted that the JJP still had a role to play ingovernment formation in Haryana. "We haven't spoken to anyone, key stillwith JJP for stable government," he said.

Bhupinder Hooda, who led the Congress campaign, said he has"not given up hope" but also pointed out that he was a"practical man" who was ready for the unexpected.

Bhupinder Hooda's son Deepender Hooda has hit out atindependent MLAs reportedly in talks with the BJP. "They are digging theirown political grave. They are selling the trust of the people. The people ofHaryana will never forgive those who do so. They will thrash them withshoes," he told ANI.