Vivek Gupta 
Chandigarh: Days after its historic third consecutive victory in Haryana, the BJP has again picked its OBC leader Nayab Singh Saini to lead the government as chief minister.
The decision was taken in a meeting here in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders. Saini will take oath as chief minister in Panchkula on Thursday (October 17).
After the meeting, Saini, Shah, former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar as well as Union minister and the BJP’s election in-charge for Haryana Dharmendra Pradhan met governor Bandaru Dattatreya and submitted a letter of support by MLAs for the purpose of forming a new government.
With its eyes on the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls, the BJP is making Saini’s oath ceremony a star-studded affair. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior members of his cabinet as well as the chief ministers of all BJP-ruled states besides members of the BJP’s alliance partners will be present.
Union minister and BJP leader Krishan Pal Gurjar told the media that as the BJP won a grand victory, the celebration will also be grand.
Saini first assumed the chief ministership in March – towards the end of the BJP’s previous tenure – after the party ousted then-chief minister Khattar.
The elevation of Saini, who was then the party’s Haryana state chief, was seen as a quick fix to deflect the growing public resentment building up against the party on several fronts.
The BJP used his credentials as an OBC leader to engineer its tried-and-tested non-Jat consolidation, which appeared to have worked for the party in once again wresting political power in Haryana.
As the BJP is set to start its third tenure, Saini has become even more important given the massive support it received from OBCs and other non-Jat communities across its stronghold areas in north and south Haryana.
The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies’ Lokniti program in its post-poll survey revealed that non-Jat communities including OBCs voted heavily for the BJP, helping it sweep parts of north Haryana and the Ahirwal belt around the National Capital Region, which in turn played a major role in its winning a majority.
New cabinet in formation
Like in his last term, Saini will have 13 ministers in his cabinet. Many new people will fill these posts as a majority of the ministers from his previous government lost the elections.
Among these new entrants, several berths may be given to newly elected MLAs from south and north Haryana adjoining the NCR, from where the BJP won 28 out of 48 seats.
Some leading faces are Mahipal Dhanda, Mool Chand Sharma, Anil Vij, Rao Narbir Singh, Arvind Sharma and Ranbir Gangwa.
Several women MLAs of the BJP may also find slots in the new Saini cabinet.
Of the 13 newly elected women MLAs of the party, Arti Rao, daughter of Union minister Inderjit Rao; Shruti Choudhry, granddaughter of former chief minister Bansi Lal; as well as Krishna Gahlawat are leading names.
The name of independent Hisar MLA Savitri Jindal, who has has extended her support to the BJP, is also going around in political circles.