Nayab Singh Saini, 54, was picked up as the new chief minister of Haryana by the BJP’s legislature party in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah. Saini’s name was proposed by MLA Anil Vij, who also nursed ambition for the post, thus paving the way for smooth government formation.
Shah’s presence in the meeting sent a message that there were no discordant note over the choice of Saini. It was Shah who had announced Saini’s name as the CM candidate in June thus ending all speculation over the move. When Vij had publicly expressed his desire to become CM, the party leadership was quick to dismiss his claims.
Saini will take oath in Panchkula on October 17 in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will be second time Saini in a year as he was appointed as Chief Minister in March replacing Manohar Lal Khattar to beat anti-incumbency in the Lok Sabha and assembly polls. The impact of anti-incumbency was evident during the Lok Sabha polls as BJP lost five out of the total 10 seats it held in the state. But within next six months, the party’s strategy paid off as it won its biggest ever mandate in the state with 48 seats.
Saini, an OBC, helped BJP consolidate OBC-Punjabi and other non-Jats votes in the state to counter Congress’ Jat-Dalit and Muslim axis. He would be second prominent BJP chief minister belonging to the OBC community, the other being Madhya Pradesh’s Mohan Yadav.
As the BJP has expressed faith in the OBC leader, the party would have to accommodate MLAs from other communities as part of the cabinet.
Saini’s story is marked by his rise to the top post from an ordinary grassroot worker. He was considered close to Khattar. This is the third time he has been elected as MLA. Before becoming CM in March this year, he was Lok Sabha MP and party’s state unit chief.