Nayab Saini elected BJP legislature party leader in Haryana

Nayab Singh Saini was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in Haryana on Wednesday. Saini would take oath as Chief Minister in Panchkula on Thursday.

Newly elected Haryana 48 BJP MLAs elected Saini in a meeting, which was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav as central observers.

"There was only one proposal moved by Narwana MLA Krishan Bedi and it was seconded by Ambala Cantt MLA Anil Vij in favour of Saini," Amit Shah said declaring Saini as the BJP legislature party leader in Haryana.

Saini, the OBC face of the saffron party, who was declared as the  party's chief ministerial candidate in the run-up to the October 5 assembly polls, was elected as the leader in view the non-Jats, especially the OBCs, consolidating in BJP' s favour in the polls.  Saini took over as the state chief minister from Manohar Lal Khattar on March 12, 2024, and the entire assembly poll campaign was centred around him with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah showcasing him as the CM face.

With Amit Shah, BJP’s chief poll strategist, who ‘micro-managed’  the entire assembly polls along with his band of trusted lieutenants, being appointed as central observer, the party wanted a ‘smooth transition’ of power in Haryana. Amit Shah was first to declare Saini as the CM face at a rally in Panchkula on June 29 this year.

It won 48 seats against the Congress' 37 in the 90-member assembly in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be among those who will attend the oath-taking event. The BJP wants the swearing-in to be a grand affair to gear up the party cadre for crucial Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls in November and Delhi polls early next year.