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Haryana CM Nayab Saini carries out first cabinet expansion, inducts 8 BJP MLAs
Eight BJP MLAs were inducted into Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini’s council of ministers. Former home minister Anil Vij was notably excluded.
Eight BJP MLAs were inducted into newly appointed Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini’s council of ministers on Tuesday, a week after former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar stepped down after breaking ties with Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), its 2019 post poll alliance partner.
A notable exclusion was former home minister, Anil Vij. Vij whose name figured in the first list of inductees last week was upset at the turn of events and chose to skip the swearing-in.
Controversial former national hockey captain and a minister of state in the Khattar government, Sandeep Singh, who was in 2023, booked for sexually harassing a woman coach was also ignored for a ministerial berth. With the fresh inductions, all 14 slots in the Council of Ministers have been filled.
Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini, along with four BJP MLAs Kanwar Pal (Jagadhri in Yamunanagar), Mool Chand Sharma (Ballabhgarh in Faridabad), JP Dalal (Loharu in Bhiwani), Banwari Lal (Bawal in Rewari) and Independent MLA Ranjit Singh (Rania in Sirsa), was sworn in last Tuesday. All five MLAs were also ministers in the BJP-JJP government.
Five other Independents and the lone Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) MLA Gopal Kanda, who are supporting the minority government led by Nayab Saini, were not considered for induction into the Council of Ministers.
Kamal Gupta was the only one from Khattar’s council of ministers to be sworn in as a full cabinet minister during Tuesday’s induction. The remaining seven inductees are first-timers and have been appointed as ministers of state having independent charge.
The eight administered oath of office and secrecy by governor Bandaru Dattatreya at Haryana Raj Bhawan are Kamal Gupta (Hisar MLA), Seema Trikha (Badkhal in Faridabad), Mahipal Dhanda (Panipat rural), Aseem Goyal (Ambala City), Abhe Singh Yadav (Nangal Chaudhary in Mahendergarh), Subhash Sudha (Thanesar in Kurukshetra), Bishamber Singh Balmiki (Bawani Khera in Bhiwani and Sanjay Singh (Sohna in Gurugram).
BJP’s caste, regional balance in view of Lok Sabha polls
The BJP has tried to ensure caste and regional representation in the fresh inductions, keeping in mind the Lok Sabha elections. After the exit of two Punjabi-Khatri leaders Khattar and Vij from the Council of Ministers, the BJP has brought in a set of new Punjabi-Khatris in Seema Trikha and Subhash Sudha as ministers. There are now three Jat ministers- JP Dalal, Mahipal Dhanda and Ranjeet Singh as compared to five in the Khattar Council of Ministers.
Kanwar Pal, a Gujjar, Abhe Singh Yadav, an Ahir and chief minister, Nayab Saini come from backward castes while there are two ministers from scheduled castes (SC), Banwari Lal and Bishamber Singh Balmiki. There are two ministers from the Vaish community – Kamal Gupta and Aseem Goyal. The Brahmin and Rajput community will be represented by a minister each, Mool Chand Sharma and Sanjay Singh respectively.
Hopes of Independents dashed to the ground
It was quite apparent when Dushyant Chautala’s JJP issued a whip last week to its 10 MLAs to remain absent during voting on confidence motion in the state assembly that the newly formed Nayab Saini government won’t actually need the support of six Independents. If the JJP continues to abstain, the BJP would only need its 41 MLAs to win a trust vote.
“See, there is a sneaky understanding between the BJP and the JJP. A drama was enacted last week to deceive the people. There is no break-up of the alliance,” said Congress leader, Karan Singh Dalal.
Dalal said the Independent MLAs who have lent support to the minority government have also been betrayed by the BJP.
“They should have been given ministerial berths for supporting the BJP led government. The Independents should withdraw their support,” he argued.
I am okay at not being inducted: Anil Vij
Meanwhile, BJP’s Ambala Cantt MLA and former home minister, Anil Vij said that he was okay at not being inducted in the Council of Ministers. The former minister. who was apparently upset at the turn of events last week, had chosen to skip last week’s swearing-in ceremony of Nayab Singh Saini as chief minister and five MLAs as ministers.
“I am a mere MLA now and will work like one. I will work for the party with even more passion. I remained a minister for nine-and-half years and did whatever I could for the welfare of people of the state,” Vij told HT on Tuesday.
