Nayab Singh Saini to be new Haryana CM

Nayab Singh Saini has been announced as the new Chief Minister of Haryana by the BJP, following the resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar and his cabinet earlier that day.

Saini, a prominent figure in the OBC community and the BJP’s Lok Sabha representative from Kurukshetra, took over as the party’s state leader last October.

The swearing-in ceremony for Mr. Saini is scheduled for 5 pm. His appointment was confirmed during a BJP legislative party meeting, where it was decided that a fresh leadership was needed to navigate the upcoming Lok Sabha election in April/May and the Assembly election later in the year. This decision was influenced by inputs from Arjun Munda, the junior Agriculture Minister, and Tarun Chugh, the National General Secretary, indicating the MLAs’ desire for change.

The political scene in Haryana experienced upheaval over the weekend, leading to the dissolution of the BJP-JJP alliance due to disagreements over Lok Sabha seat distribution. The JJP, led by former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, demanded two of the state’s 10 seats, but the BJP was willing to concede only one.

Reluctant to compromise on the contested seat and wary of dismissing Chautala—which could potentially alienate farmers and the significant Jat community, constituting about 20% of the state’s population—the BJP chose to end the coalition. Khattar’s departure is also viewed as a strategic move to counteract any potential anti-incumbency sentiment and address MLA dissatisfaction in a key state for the BJP, with critical elections on the horizon.