‘We’ll Take Everyone Along’: Nayab Singh Saini Elected BJP Legislative Party Leader In Haryana, Oath Tomorrow

Nayab Singh Saini is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Haryana for a second term on October 17 (Thursday). Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs elected Saini as the leader of the legislative party at a meeting in Panchkula on Wednesday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also attended the meeting as central observers at Panchkamal, the Panchkula-based Bharatiya Janata Party office. Senior BJP leaders are set to meet the Governor to stake claim to form the new government.

Following his selection as the leader of the Haryana BJP legislative party, he said, “Because of PM Modi’s policies, people of Haryana have chosen BJP for the third time. We will take the good work of PM Modi forward.”

He welcomed Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state and said, “I promise to Amit Shah that we will take everyone forward and work for the development of Haryana and Bharat. We will fulfill all the promises made to the people.”

The BJP had indicated during the elections that Saini, who replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as chief minister in March and hails from the Other Backward Classes, will be its choice for the top post if it wins.

In the assembly elections, the party recorded its best-ever haul of 48 seats, 11 more than the Congress. The JJP and the AAP were decimated and the INLD managed to win just two seats.

Eight out of 10 ministers in the outgoing Saini cabinet faced defeat in the Haryana assembly polls. The two who won were Mahipal Dhanda and Mool Chand Sharma from Panipat Rural and Ballabhgarh seats respectively.

Both Dhanda, who comes from the Jat community, and Sharma, a senior leader and a Brahmin face, are among the ministerial probables in the new government, sources said.

Haryana can have a maximum of 14 ministers, including the chief minister.