Nayab Singh Saini replaces Manohar Lal Khattar as Haryana CM, BJP ends alliance with JJP

Saini, an OBC leader, was sworn in as Chief Minister by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.

BJP leaders Kanwar Pal Gujjar, Moolchand Sharma, Dr Banwari Lal, J P Dalal and Independent MLA Ranjit Singh, who were ministers in the previous government, were sworn in as ministers again Tuesday.

Former Home Minister and six-term MLA Anil Vij did not find a place in the new cabinet. No one was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister – Dushyant Chautala held the post in the Khattar government.

In Nayab Saini, the 55-year-old Kurukshetra MP, Haryana gets a Chief Minister from an OBC community. (Express photo by Jasbir Malhi)

Vij walked out of the BJP Legislature Party meeting and returned to his home in Ambala in his private vehicle. Party sources told The Indian Express that Vij was not in favour of Saini being elevated as the CM.

Khattar bowed out a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his work – they were together in Gurgaon Monday for the inauguration of a new section of the Dwarka Expressway. He pointed to a likely role in the Lok Sabha elections: “There is a possibility that I may be given some responsibility in Lok Sabha polls.”

The Haryana Assembly will hold a session Wednesday for the Saini-led government to seek a trust vote.

After being sworn in, Saini held his first cabinet meeting. Sources said an expansion of the cabinet is likely in the next few days.

Dushyant Chautala will be addressing his party’s rally in Hisar Wednesday. In a post on X, he thanked the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve as Deputy Chief Minister. “I will always be grateful to you for the constant trust you have shown in us and the support you have always given us during our times of difficulty and struggle. I assure you that following the footsteps of Jannayak Chaudhary Devi Lal ji, I will always be dedicated to protecting the interests of Haryana and the people of Haryana. Our efforts for social and economic security of the people of Haryana will continue,” he said.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP won 40 seats in the 90-member Haryana Vidhan Sabha while the JJP managed 10. The BJP and JJP forged a post-poll alliance and formed the government. Khattar became the CM for a second time and Chautala was appointed as Deputy CM.

For the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Chautala had been demanding two seats – Hisar and Bhiwani-Mahendragarh. On Monday night, the BJP high command was said to have conveyed to him that none would be given.

Tuesday morning saw both BJP and JJP calling separate meetings of their MLAs.

While BJP’s party affairs in-charge of Haryana Biplab Deb, Saini and Khattar first chaired a meeting of BJP ministers, they later held a meeting of party MLAs.

Chautala called a meeting of his party MLAs in New Delhi. Only five reached there. Four came to Chandigarh and even attended the swearing-in ceremony.

In the evening, Khattar said, “Polls are coming. The Parliamentary Board had taken this decision that Nayab Saini should be appointed as CM. The Legislature Party decided on his name and he was selected. He has taken the oath.”

“I have spoken with the senior BJP leadership who told me that they would be giving me some other responsibility. There is a possibility that I may be given some responsibility in Lok Sabha polls. That is what I am feeling. Whatever the Parliamentary Board decides, it shall be accepted,” he said.

On his relationship with Saini, Khattar said, “Nayab Saini is my very old colleague. Since 1995-1996 when Narendra Modi became in-charge of Haryana, Nayab Saini and I worked together in the party office. Especially the office-typing work and writing work, we did together. We went to several places together for party-related work. The party finally decided to field him from Naraingarh constituency and then chose him as the Lok Sabha candidate from Kurukshetra. He is a team-man. That is the reason why he would have been the party’s choice for the Chief Minister,” he said.

On Anil Vij getting angry and leaving the legislature party meeting midway, Khattar said, “Anil Vij is our very committed and senior worker. Since 1990, Vij and I have had an association. I have worked with him since then. There have been instances when he gets annoyed, but he gets back to normal soon. We spoke with him today, but he refused to come. We cannot compel anybody against his wish. But that’s his nature. We shall talk to him again, tomorrow, the day after. Our new Chief Minister Nayab Saini will also speak with him. He is also among the Council of Ministers. The discussion on new faces to be inducted in the cabinet shall be taken in consultation between the new Chief Minister and the party’s senior leadership.”

In Haryana’s 90-member House, BJP currently has 41 MLAs, Congress 30, JJP 10, Independents 7, and one each from Indian National Lok Dal and Haryana Lokhit Party.

So far, the BJP has the support of at least six Independent MLAs – one of them, Ranjit Singh, was sworn-in again as a minister Tuesday – and Gopal Kanda of the HLP.

Four JJP MLAs Devender Singh Babli, Jogi Ram Sihag, Ishwar Singh and Ram Niwas Surjakhera who reached Raj Bhavan to attend the swearing-in of the BJP ministers are also likely to support Saini Wednesday.

“It came as a surprise to us too. I was in my constituency when I got a call that this had happened. I came to Chandigarh and here I am with the other MLAs at Raj Bhavan. As far as supporting BJP or moving out of JJP is concerned, we cannot say anything as of now. About tomorrow’s (JJP) rally in Hisar, so far we have not received any invitation. If we get an invite from the party, we shall see whether to attend or not,” Devender Singh Babli, former Panchayat minister and JJP MLA from Tohana, told The Indian Express.

Earlier in the day, Independent MLA from Prithla Nayan Pal Rawat said, “The other Independent MLAs and I were called by Khattar who asked us if we stand with the BJP. We all said that we have been supporting the BJP from Day 1.”

HLP’s Gopal Kanda too said, “I was called by Khattar to Chandigarh today. I have reached here. I have always supported the BJP. We were always of the opinion that the BJP should contest the upcoming polls without the JJP. It is good they have broken the alliance finally.”