Chandigarh: Nayab Singh Saini has been chosen as the leader of Haryana BJP Legislature Party. He will take oath as Haryana Chief Minister for the second time on October 17. The decision was made in a meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on October 15.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attended the meeting as central observers at Panchkamal, the Panchkula-based Bharatiya Janata Party office. Other prominent leaders present included Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Haryana BJP election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, and co-incharge Biplab Deb. After the meeting, the senior BJP leaders would meet Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya to stake a claim to form the new government.
The oath-taking ceremony will take place at the Dusshera grounds in Sector 5, Panchkula, at 10 am. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders are expected to attend the event.
“On behalf of the people of Haryana, I would like to welcome Amit Shah. I am very happy that the central leadership of the party appointed four in-charge and they all worked towards making BJP win in Haryana for the third time with a big mandate. I would like to thank Dharmendra Pradhan and others,” said Saini after he was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in Haryana.
‘Double-Engine Government’
Earlier an ad from the saffron camp had hinted at Nayab Singh Saini’s name as his image appeared along with swearing-in details. The ad also lists details of the ceremony, which will be held at Dussehra Ground, Sector 5, Panchkula. The ad concludes with the message, “Once again, double engine government”.
Nayab Singh Saini had replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as Haryana Chief Minister in March and was instrumental in helping the party win the recent Assembly elections. An OBC leader, Saini was BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from the Kurukshetra constituency in Haryana before becoming the CM.
Saini, who was made the Chief Minister in March 2024 before the Lok Sabha elections, won the Ladwa seat in Kurukshetra district in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
Defying all exit polls, which predicted a Congress sweep in Haryana, BJP returned for the third consecutive term. The BJP ended up with its best-ever haul of 48 seats, 11 more than the Congress. The JJP and AAP were decimated and the INLD managed to win just two seats. Three independent MLAs pledged their support to the BJP, strengthening its mandate.
The BJP leaders will meet Governor Bandaru Dattatreya at Haryana Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh at 2pm to stake claim to form the government.
