Taking the reins as Haryana’s Chief Minister after the BJP’s stunning win in state assembly elections, OBC leader Nayab Saini has returned to office with a 13-member council of ministers, striking a careful caste and regional balance as his new term begins. A report by Rajesh Moudgil
Headed by chief minister Nayab Saini, the Haryana BJP government 3.0 run has just begun. It is Saini’s second term as CM as he was the chief ministerial face declared by the BJP which has formed the government in the state for a historic third consecutive year after a notable win of 48 out of total 90 seats in the recently held assembly election. Saini had replaced chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in March this year, a few months ahead of assembly polls. Khattar fought the Lok Sabha election from Karnal and is a Union minister.
This saffron party’s stunning win – notched despite a strong anti-incumbency wave – is all set to have an impact on the upcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand and thus, the grand swearing-in ceremony was attended by several top leaders of the saffron party including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In Saini’s council of ministers, the OBC community has the maximum representation – five ministers including CM; Aside from the chief minister himself, other four leaders from the OBC include Rao Narbir Singh (Ahir), who is MLA from Badshahpur assembly seat, and Ranbir Gangwa (Prajapati) from Barwala, Rajesh Nagar (Gujjar) from Tigaon and Arti Rao (Ahir) from Ateli seat.
Besides, the House Speaker, Harvinder Kalyan, a three-time MLA from Gharaunda, district Karnal, also belongs to OBC.
The chief minister Saini, a three-time MLA, who is from Ladwa seat in Kurukshetra, has kept 12 key departments including home and finance, planning, excise taxation, town and country planning and urban estates, crimination investigation, law and legislative and housing for all.
While Rao Narbir Singh, a four-time MLA has been allotted industries and commerce, environment, forests and wildlife departments, the first-timer Arti Rao has been allocated the health, medical education and research and Ayush departments.
Likewise, while Ranbir Gangwa, a two-time MLA has been given the public health engineering department, also a two-time MLA Rajesh Nagar has been allocated food, civil supplies and consumer affairs (independent charge).
The party’s senior most leader and the 7-time legislator Anil Vij, who represents the Punjabi community and is from Ambala Cantt seat has got energy, transport and labour department.
The two Jat leaders are Mahipal Dhanda from Panipat (Rural) and Shruti Choudhry, Tosham. While Dhanda, a three-time MLA, got the school education department, first timer Shruti, got the women and child department.
Among the two Brahmin leaders are Arvind Sharma, the MLA from Gohana and Gaurav Gautam from Palwal; Sharma, a four-time MP and first-time MLA, has been allocated jails and cooperation departments, while Gautam, also a first timer, will handle youth empowerment and entrepreneurship and sports departments. Gautam would also be attached with the CM as a minister of state for law and legislative department.
Among the two Dalit leaders are Krishan Panwar, the MLA from Israna and Krishan Bedi from Narwana; while Panwar, a six-time MLA has been allotted development and panchayat and mines and geology departments, Bedi, a two-time MLA, will handle the social justice, empowerment and SCs and BCs welfare departments.
Likewise, while Vipul Goel, the MLA from Faridabad who belongs to Baniya community, is a second time MLA has got the revenue and disaster management, urban local bodies and civil aviation departments, Shyam Singh Rana, also a two-time MLA from Radaur, who belongs to Rajput community, has got the agriculture and farmers welfare department.
Region-wise, while chief minister Saini, Vij, Rana, and Krishan Panwar represent GT road belt (Kurukshetra, Ambala, Yamunanagar and Panipat districts) of the state, Vipul Goel, Rajesh Nagar and Gaurav Gautam represent Faridabad and Gurugram districts of national capital region (NCR) region.
While Rao Narbir Singh and Arti Rao represent Ahirwal belt (Gurugram and Mahendergarh districts) and Shruti Choudhry represents district Bhiwani of Bagri belt. Arvind Sharma has won Gohana seat of Jat heartland Sonepat district and Krishan Bedi was elected from Narwana seat in Jind district and Ranbir Gangwa from Nalwa seat in Hisar district (Bangar region).
For the record, the BJP had won 48 of the total 90 seats of Haryana in the assembly polls held on October 5, last; while the Congress could win 37 seats, another opposition party, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) won two seats. The remaining three seats were won by independents, who later extended support to the saffron party.
