The BJP is ready to govern Haryana for a third consecutive term. It is probable that the government will be formed on October 15. The chief secretary has established a 10-person committee led by the Panchkula District Commissioner to manage the planning of the oath-taking ceremony.
Nayab Singh Saini had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders in Delhi on Wednesday, before he is expected to be sworn in as the leader of the new government in the state following the party’s victory in the assembly elections. Saini met Union Minister and BJP’s election in-charge for Haryana, Dharmendra Pradhan, in the national capital on Thursday.
The BJP had suggested before the elections that Saini, who took over as chief minister in March after Manohar Lal Khattar and comes from the Other Backward Classes, would be their preferred candidate for the top position if they emerge victorious.
The party achieved its highest number of seats ever, surpassing the Congress by 11 seats. Both the JJP and the AAP suffered heavy losses while the INLD only secured two seats. According to a BJP leader from the state, the new government’s swearing-in ceremony is expected to happen post the Dussehra festival on October 12.
Eight out of every 10 ministers from the previous Saini cabinet were defeated in the Haryana assembly elections. The winners are Mahipal Dhanda and Mool Chand Sharma, who are from Panipat Rural and Ballabhgarh seats, respectively. Sources said that both Dhanda, a member of the Jat community, and Sharma, a senior leader from the Brahmin community, are considered as potential ministers in the upcoming government.
In Haryana, the total number of ministers, which includes the chief minister, cannot exceed 14. The BJP, despite facing opposition from current officeholders, achieved three consecutive victories and successfully gained influence in Dalit areas and Jat territories, maintaining control in the Ahirwal region.
The BJP emerged victorious in eight assembly constituencies out of the 17 Scheduled Caste (SC) seats in Haryana. Potential Dalit leaders for ministerial positions may include Krishan Lal Panwar, a senior leader who was victorious in the Israna constituency, and Krishan Kumar.
Panwar, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha, had contested in the assembly elections. Krishan Kumar, the ex-MLA who emerged victorious in Narwana, may also be selected as a ministerial candidate.
In the region of Ahirwal in southern Haryana, the party secured victory in ten out of eleven seats. It is widely thought that the majority of the candidates in this area have strong connections to Union Minister and Gurgaon MP, Rao Inderjit Singh.
Rao’s daughter, Arti Singh Rao, who emerged victorious from the Ateli constituency, is also being considered for a position as a minister. According to sources, Om Prakash Yadav, the winner from Narnaul, and senior leader Rao Narbir Singh, the winner from Badshahpur, are also competing.
In addition to Arti, Shruti, Kiran Choudhry’s daughter and a former MP who won from Tosham assembly seat, and Shakti Rani Sharma, who won from Kalka, are also competing among other women. Sources said that even though the three independent winners have stated their support for the upcoming government, it is possible that Hisar MLA Savitri Jindal could still be considered for a ministerial position.
Some of the BJP leaders vying for election are Anil Vij in Ambala Cantt, Shyam Singh Rana in Radaur, Jagmohan Anand in Karnal, Harvinder Kalyan in Gharaunda, Krishan Lal Middha in Jind, Arvind Kumar Sharma in Gohana, Vipul Goel in Faridabad, Nikhil Madaan in Sonipat, and Ghanshyam Dass in Yamunanagar. Devender Attri, the possible candidate who emerged victorious in Uchana Kalan, is also being considered. Attri emerged victorious over his closest Congress competitor, Brijendra Singh. Dushyant Chautala, a prominent figure in the JJP party, occupied the seat.