Haryana Cabinet in works, BJP to factor in caste
After scoring a spectacular hat-trick in Haryana, the BJP is now getting down to the business of formation of a new Council of Ministers with caste and region calculations being worked out by the party top brass.
As the lobbying for ministerial berths picks up momentum in New Delhi, the party top brass has initiated a preliminary exercise to shortlist the possible names to be included in the Cabinet.
Frontrunners
- OBCs: Rao Narbir Singh, Harvinder Kalyan, OP Yadav, Ranbir Gangua, Arti Rao
- Brahmins: Moolchand Sharma, Shakti Rani Sharma
- Jats: Mahipal Dhanda, Shruti Chaudhry; Punjabi: Anil Vij
- Dalits: Krishan Panwar, Krishan Bedi; Vaish: Savitri Jindal
The names would be finalised after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his two-day Laos trip, sources told The Tribune.
Haryana can have a 14-member Cabinet, including the Chief Minister. With other constitutional posts — Speaker and Deputy Speaker — up for grabs, the party will only be able to accommodate about one-third of its 48 MLAs.
The sources said at least one Cabinet slot was set to go to one of the three Independent MLAs who had extended support to the BJP. Savitri Jindal (Hisar), a powerful politician from the Vaish community, was the frontrunner from the Independents’ quota, they said.
With Nayab Singh Saini, the OBC face of the BJP, set to take over as the Chief Minister, the community could get one or two berths in the ministry.
Rao Narbir Singh, a six-time MLA from Badshahpur, Harvinder Kalyan, a three-time legislator from Gharounda, Shyam Singh Rana (Radaur), a two-time MLA, and former minister OP Yadav (Narnaul) are in the contention from the OBC community. Barwala legislator Ranbir Gangua, who was the Deputy Speaker, is in the contention for the Speaker’s post though the name of a former senior “vocal” minister is also doing the rounds for the post.
The party’s seven-time MLA, Anil Vij, is among the frontrunners from the Punjabi community, which has elected eight MLAs. Besides, three-time MLAs — Krishan Lal Middha (Jind) and Vinod Bhayana (Hansi) — are in the race from the Punjabi community.
Among the Dalit lawmakers, six-time MLA Krishan Lal Panwar (Israna) and two-time MLA Krishan Bedi (Narwana), both former ministers and loyalists of former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, are the frontrunners.
From the Jat community, the name of three-time MLA Mahipal Dhanda (Panipat-Rural) is doing the rounds. Dhanda, along with another three-time MLA Moolchand Sharma, the Brahmin face of the party, is the only minister of the Nayab Singh Saini ministry, who has been re-elected.
Another Jat leader, Krishna Gahlawat, a two-time MLA from Rai, could represent the Jatland in the Cabinet.
The Brahmins, who netted seven seats for the BJP, could either be represented by Kalka MLA Shakti Rani Sharma or Gohana MLA and two-time MP Arvind Sharma, besides Moolchand Sharma.
Among the women candidates, first-timers — Arti Rao (Ateli), daughter of Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, and Shruti Chaudhry (Tosham), daughter of Rajya Sabha member Kiran Chaudhry — are among the probables. Arti is an OBC while Shruti represents the Jat community.
In the backdrop of at least 20 new faces winning the poll, the saffron party may also pick up three-four fresh faces. The names of Punjabis Nikhil Madan (Sonepat) and Jagmohan Anand (Karnal), OBCs Manmohan Bhadana (Samalkha) and Anil Dahina (Kosli), Jats Sunil Sangwan (Dadri) and Randhir Panihar (Nalwa), Dalits Krishan Kumar (Bawal) and Kapur Valmilki (Bawani Khera) and Brahmin Garurav Gautam (Palwal) are also doing the rounds for the Cabinet berth.
The sources said all 13 slots might not be filled in one go at the swearing-in, likely to be held in Panchkula on October 15. Those missing the ministerial bus would be adjusted as chairmen of boards and corporations, the sources said.
Meanwhile, Haryana BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli said, “The Haryana Cabinet, to be decided in consultation with the party high command, will reflect the hopes and aspirations of all 36 biradaris in Haryana.”
