Linked to the May 12 result of the Lok Sabha election in Haryana is the prestige of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is helming the first ever BJP government in the state. The challenge before the party is to at least repeat the 2014 tally of seven out of 10 seats. Also this slugfest will set the tempo for the high-stake state assembly elections due by October.
Here is a look at the key members of the Khattar government and state BJP unit:
Manohar Lal Khattar, 65, Chief Minister
Proximity to PM Narendra Modi and RSS had catapulted Khattar to the post of chief Minister in October 2014. After initial hiccups and slips, Khattar, who lacked administrative experience, learnt fast how to control the slippery levers of power. The 2019 Lok Sabha poll outcome will have a bearing on his stature and standing as well. This will be a verdict on his government which despite serious slip ups on law and order stayed the course on development front. His party also hopes to ride the Modi factor.
Ram Bilas Sharma, 70, Education Minister
{{/usCountry}}Ram Bilas Sharma, 70, Education Minister
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One of the oldest BJP leaders in Haryana, the strapping Sharma has a surprisingly razor sharp memory. His capacity to remember names of his constituents is infectious. Equally noteworthy are his skills to win ‘hearts’ with his ‘sweet tongue’ and mannerism. A five-time MLA from Mahendragarh, Sharma was a frontrunner for the post of CM. Having near five decades‘ association with the RSS, he has a stronghold among voters in south Haryana that plays a decisive role in government formation.
Subhash Barala, 52, State BJP President
For this close aide of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the upcoming summer slugfest is crucial. Barala, the state BJP chief and Tohana MLA, is a ‘rustic’ Jat leader who went up the ladder quiet quickly. He won his first-ever election in 2014 after losing twice. That his roots in the party have grown deep was evident when the BJP backed him despite the raging controversy revolving around his son who was booked for allegedly stalking a DJ in Chandigarh. As Jat voters remain angry with BJP’s Jat ministers, the party will position Barala to woo the largest, and the very volatile, vote bank of Haryana.
Capt Abhimanyu, 51, Finance Minister
He is a suave, urbane and articulate Jat face of the BJP. An aggressive orator, Capt Abhimanyu is a Finance Minister who holds seven other portfolios also. Known for deep pockets and very cautious persona, Abhimanyu, a former Army officer has strong business interests. The Narnaund MLA is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, USA. He began cutting his political teeth in 1997 when he was tasked to mobilise crowds for LK Advani’s Swarna Jayanti Rath Yatra. BJP banks on this shrewd leader to get a slice of the divided Jat vote bank which forms about 23 per cent of the total electorate.
Chaudhary Birender Singh, 73, Union minister of steel
He is among the handful of sane, and experienced, political brains the BJP has in Haryana. The Rajya Sabha MP and Union minister of steel has over 4 decades experience in active politics. In 2014 he embraced the BJP after long stint in the Congress. A five-time MLA and three-time Lok Sabha MP, Birender is the grandson of prominent peasant leader Chhotu Ram. He has a stronghold among Jats especially in Jind. His wife is a BJP MLA. Though he has announced to not contest elections again, the MP is lobbying to get his IAS son Brijender a ticket from saffron party. Will BJP buckle?
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