Chandigarh: Nayab Singh Saini, 54, took oath as Haryana Chief Minister hours after Manohar Lal Khattar and his entire cabinet resigned on Tuesday morning after a split in the ruling BJP-JJP alliance over seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha election.
Here are the HIGHLIGHTS updates on Haryana political developments:
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The Breakdown In BJP-JJP Alliance
The BJP-JJP alliance in Haryana - formed after the 2019 Assembly election - seemed to be running smoothly till roadblocks over seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha poll. The JJP wanted two seats but the BJP would only give one; in 2019 the JJP contested and lost seven seats and the BJP won all 10. The JJP has said it will contest all 10 seats on its own; the party will hold a rally in Hisar district, at which JJP boss Dushyant Chautala is expected to announce details of that campaign.
Reasons Behind BJP's Big Haryana Change
In the past, the party has changed out chief ministers, and reshuffled cabinets before Assembly elections to ward off the anti-incumbency factor and rejuvenate state units and leaders. This was the tactic before polls in Gujarat and Uttarakhand, which the party won, and Karnataka, which it lost. The selection of Mr Saini - an influential Other Backward Classes leader - also represents the BJP's focus on caste and OBC equations in each state before an election. The BJP made similar moves in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh (this was after it won the elections).
How The Numbers Stack Up
The BJP has 41 MLAs in the 90-member House, in which the majority mark is set at 46. The new government will be backed six independent lawmakers and, potentially, five from the JJP of now ex-Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, who are set to cross but are not expected to get cabinet berths.
BJP's Nayab Singh Saini Takes Oath As New Haryana Chief Minister
The BJP's Nayab Singh Saini, 54, was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Haryana at a rapidly-assembled ceremony in Chandigarh Tuesday evening, capping a frenetic few hours triggered by the resignation this morning of his predecessor, Manohar Lal Khattar, and the entire cabinet.
Haryana LIVE: Haryana Won't Have A Deputy Chief Minister, Say Sources
There will be no Deputy Chief Minister in the new Haryana government led by Nayab Singh Saini, said sources. The new cabinet is expected to take oath shortly.
Who Is Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana's New Chief Minister- A Lok Sabha MP from Kurukshetra, Nayab Singh Saini is from the OBC community.
- He was appointed as Haryana BJP chief in October last year and is known to be close to outgoing Chief Minister Khattar.
- Mr Saini's political career started nearly three decades back, when he worked to strengthen the BJP's organisation in Haryana. In 2012, he was chosen to lead the party in Ambala as district president.
- Following several postings at the organisation level, he was elected as an MLA from Narayangarh in the 2014 state polls. In 2016, he was named a state minister.
- In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mr Saini was fielded from the Kurukshetra constituency. He defeated the Congress's Nirmal Singh by a margin of nearly 4 lakh votes.
Haryana LIVE: Nayab Singh Saini To Be New Chief Minister Of HaryanaKurukshetra MP and OBC leader Nayab Singh Saini is set to become the new Chief Minister of Haryana after ML Khattar and his entire cabinet tendered their resignation. Mr Saini was appointed as the state president of Haryana BJP in October last year.
Haryana LIVE: More Leaders Arrive For Meeting At Dushyant Chautala's FarmhouseJJP Haryana president Nishan Singh reaches Dushyant Chautala's farmhouse for the meeting. Dushyant Chautala, Nayana Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala are already inside. JJP spokesperson Arvind Bhardwaj said his party will contest all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Haryana LIVE: JJP To Announce Its Next Strategy At Hisar Rally Tomorrow
Dushyant Chautala's JJP will hold a big rally in Hisar tomorrow, where the party's future strategy will be announced.
Haryana LIVE: ML Khattar Likely To Return As Chief Minister, Say SourcesThe new leader of the House (Chief Minister) will be chosen at a Legislature Party meeting this afternoon in the presence of observers Tarun chug and Arjun Munda. ML Khattar, who resigned as Chief Minister this morning, is likely to return for the top job, says sources.
Live: JJP Leader Ajay Chautala Arrives At Dushyant Chautala's Farmhouse
Live: "Chief Minister And Cabinet Ministers Have Resigned", Says Haryana BJP Leader
Haryana LIVE: 6 JJP Rebel MLAs Likely To Defect To BJP: Sources
Five JJP MLAs - Jogi Ram Sihag, Ram Kumar Gautam, Ishwar Singh, Ramniwas, and Devinder Babli - are likely to switch over to the BJP as the BJP ended its alliance with the party in Haryana, said sources. The MLAs are likely to form a breakaway group and join the BJP, said sources.