Haryana's new CM Nayab Saini wins floor test
New Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini-led government won the floor test in the state assembly with the support of 48 MLAs on Wednesday. Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party has 41 seats in the 90-member assembly. Ahead of the floor test, the BJP's former ally Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) issued a whip to its MLAs to remain "absent" from the House due to fear of poaching. However, flouting the order, five JJP MLAs also participated in the test of strength.
Saini replaces Khattar as the new CM
Saini—an MP from Kurukshetra—was sworn in as the new Haryana CM on Tuesday evening. This swearing-in concluded a series of events set in motion by the resignation of his predecessor, Manohar Lal Khattar, along with his entire cabinet earlier in the day. Khattar resigned after the ruling BJP-JJP alliance fractured over seat-sharing concerns over the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Saini assumes office weeks ahead of Lok Sabha elections
Saini's selection as the new CM underscores the BJP's focus on caste equations as the party gears up for the 2024 elections The decision—appointing Saini as the second Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader among its 12 chief ministers—reflects the party's concerted effort to consolidate the OBC votes and counter opposition attempts to weaken its support base ahead of the polls. Interestingly, the party is known to replace CMs, reshuffle cabinets ahead of elections to counter anti-incumbency and revitalize state units.
Saini earlier claimed the vote of at least 48 MLAs
Earlier on Tuesday, Saini sent a letter to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, formally offering to form the state government. He reportedly claimed the support of at least 48 state MLAs. In addition to the 41 BJP MLAs, the party claimed it had the support of six independents and one MLA, Gopal Kanda of the Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP).
Khattar to contest Lok Sabha election
Meanwhile, Khattar triggered speculation that he may contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Karnal. On Wednesday, he resigned as an MLA from Karnal stating that the newly appointed CM will take care of the constituency. Earlier, he had said that the party high command had told him that he would be given another responsibility. "Maybe it is about Lok Sabha polls. I think it is possible...whatever the parliamentary board (of BJP) decides, I will abide by it," he said.
JJP to contest all 10 Lok Sabha seats from Haryana
The BJP-JJP alliance in Haryana, forged post the 2019 Assembly election, ruptured due to disagreement over seat sharing in the upcoming election. The JJP sought two seats, but the BJP offered only one. In 2019, the JJP contested and lost seven seats while the BJP won all 10. The JJP now plans to independently contest all 10 seats.
