EW Correspondent, New Delhi: In a significant political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Nayab Singh Saini as the new Chief Minister of Haryana, signalling a strategic shift to consolidate non-Jat votes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections¹²³. This move comes after the BJP parted ways with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which is predominantly supported by the Jat community.

Nayab Singh Saini, a prominent leader from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), has been chosen to lead the state, replacing Manohar Lal Khattar. The decision reflects the party's intent to appeal to the OBC electorate, which constitutes a significant portion of the state's demographic.

The BJP's strategy appears to be focused on non-Jat social engineering, a tactic that has been successful in other states like Gujarat. With Saini at the helm, the party aims to overcome the challenges faced by the previous government and counter any anti-incumbency sentiment.

Political analysts suggest that this move could potentially sway the Jatt voters, who have traditionally played a dominant role in Haryana's politics. By positioning an OBC leader as the Chief Minister, the BJP is attempting to broaden its support base beyond the traditional upper-caste and urban electorate.

The upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be a test of this new strategy, as the party seeks to replicate its past electoral successes and retain power in the state assembly. The appointment of Nayab Singh Saini is a calculated step towards achieving this goal, as the BJP leverages the popularity of the Modi brand to attract a wider voter base.

Political Journey of CM

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, political turmoil engulfs Haryana as the BJP-JJP alliance collapses. CM Manohar Lal Khattar resigned along with his cabinet and paved the way for leadership changes. Nayab Saini emerges as a potential candidate, with a background in the RSS and BJP. His close ties to Khattar and political journey from district president to MP position him as the right choice for the CM post.

Nayab Singh Saini was born on January 25, 1970, in a small village called Mizapur Majra in Ambala to a Saini family. He obtained his degree from B.R. Ambedkar Bihar University in Muzaffarpur and his BA and LLB degrees. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), through which he met Manohar Lal Khattar and was influenced by him. After some time, he joined the BJP and subsequently worked in several local party offices, including in Ambala Cantonment.

Nayab Saini's Journey to State President

In 2002, he became the district president of the youth wing of the BJP in Ambala. Then in 2005, he became the district president of the youth wing of the BJP in Ambala. Nayab Singh Saini served as the state president of the BJP's farmer wing in Haryana in 2009. In 2012, he was the district president of the BJP in Ambala. In 2014, he became a legislator from Narayangarh Vidhan Sabha. Then in 2016, he became a minister in the Haryana government. In 2019, he was elected as a Member of Parliament from Kurukshetra. After that, today he has been entrusted with the responsibility of the state president by the central leadership.