Saini is back

THE BJP is well within its right to view the decisive mandate for a third term in Haryana as a vote of confidence in its governance model. What Nayab Singh Saini must guard against is letting a rush of over-confidence dictate his government's functioning. The consequences of such an approach by the Congress in the just concluded Assembly elections are fresh in memory. The dynamics of electoral politics are such that the seat tally often hides the subtext. A party like the BJP is expected to objectively assess the fine print. The Saini-led party won against all odds, but it would do well to recognise that anti-incumbency alone cannot explain the appetite for change in the run-up to the elections.

As Saini takes charge in his second stint as Chief Minister, the primary objective must be to tackle the perception of a gap between promise and delivery. Saini was considered an odd choice when he took over from his mentor Manohar Lal Khattar in March. The remarkable victory, that too when many did not give him even an outside chance, lends Saini a new stature. The central leadership of the party may still call the shots on matters of importance, but he has finally got an opportunity to step out of Khattar's shadow and chart a new course. His Cabinet, with a delicate balance of caste and regional considerations, includes first-time MLAs. Saini has a task on his hands to take along the seniors in the party and guide the juniors.

In voting so many of the veterans out, Haryana's message is clear — welcome back, Nayab Singh Saini, but be mindful. The list of grievances across the state is long and the mandate is for better governance, not more of the same.