OBC leader Nayab Singh Saini has been sworn in as the chief minister of Haryana for the second time. The event held at Panchkula was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president J P Nadda, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah.
Before the ceremony, Saini visited the Valmiki Bhawan and offered prayers at a gurdwara and the Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula. He told reporters that the new BJP government will implement the BJP's 'Sankalp Patra' and work towards taking Haryana forward at a rapid pace.
Along with Saini, several other ministers too took oath on Thursday. Meet the new Cabinet members.
Anil Vij: Anil Vij had served as state home minister in the Manohar Lal Khattar government. A seven-time MLA from Ambala Cantt, Vijj defeated independent candidate Chitra Sarwara. He had earlier staked a claim for the post of chief minister and was vocal about his disappointment when he wasn't chosen to replace Manohar Lal Khattar earlier this year.
Kishan Lal Panwar: Krishan Lal Panwar too is an experienced minister and has handled portfolios including jails, transport and housing in the first Manohar Lal Khattar government.
Rao Narbir: The 55-year-old leader, who was the Public Works Minister in the then Manohar Lal Khattar government, yields a lot of influence in the Ahirwal belt of Haryana. He is also influential in the Badshahpur area which has the highest number of voters. Narbir was also the only minister who got a ticket to contest the elections directly from the BJP central leadership.
Mahipal Dhanda: As expected, Mahipal Dhanda too managed to get a seat in the Cabinet. He won the elections defeating Congress candidate Sachin Kundu in the Panipat Rural constituency by 50,212 votes. An active minister in the first Saini government, Dhanda has a clean image and has never been accused of any corruption.
Arvind Sharma: A seasoned politician, Sharma is BJP's Brahmin face and Gohana MLA.
Vipul Goyal: Vipul Goyal, who defeated Congress candidate Lakhan Kumar Singla in the Faridabad constituency by 48,388 votes, is a big businessman and former Industries Minister. He is said to have taken up development works worth 2000 crores in Faridabad alone.
Shyam Singh Rana: Shyam Singh Rana defeated Congress candidate Dr Bishan Lal Saini in the Radaur constituency by 13,132 votes.
Ranbir Gangwa: Ranbir Singh Gangwa represents the Barwala constituency and represents the backward classes.
Krishna Kumar Bedi: BJP's Krishan Kumar Bedi is from the Narwana constituency and is a prominent Dalit leader.
Shruti Choudhry: BJP's Shruti Choudhry is the granddaughter of Bansi Lal and the daughter of Surender Singh and Kiran Choudhry. She defeated her cousin cricket administrator-turned-politician Anirudh Chaudhry from Tosham in a prestigious battle. Shruti Chaudhary, who was a Congress MP from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh seat, did not get a Congress ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. After this, she joined BJP along with her mother Kiran Chaudhary.
Arti Singh Rao: BJP's Arti Singh Rao takes oath as Minister of State (MoS) in the Nayab Singh Saini Cabinet. Arti Singh Rao is the daughter of Union Cabinet Minister Rao Inderjit Singh.
Rajesh Nagar: BJP's Rajesh Nagar is also a Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Nayab Singh Saini Cabinet. He is a close aide of Manohar Lal Khattar and a second-time MLA.
Gaurav Gautam: BJP's Gaurav Gautam is a young face of the party and is a Minister of State (Independent Charge).