Computer operator to Haryana CM: Can Nayab Singh Saini beat anti-incumbency? | Chandigarh News

The upcoming assembly election in Haryana revolves around multiple issues and promises, but BJP decision to replace Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as chief minister would certainly keep occupying centre stage.

The saffron party’s decision to appoint the 54-year-old leader as the 11th CM of Haryana had surprised everyone in March this year.
Overcoming strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stemming from Khattar’s nine-and-a-half-year tenure, remains a significant challenge for Saini.
The upcoming assembly election would test the leadership skills of Saini, who has been trying to change the image of the BJP CM by interacting with people till late evening and making the CMO accessible to the public.
Despite Saini’s efforts, Khattar is still perceived as the real power in Haryana, as evidenced by the CM’s inability to change any senior officials in the CMO, all of whom were appointed by Khattar, even after more than 160 days as the CM.
However, during his nearly five-month tenure from March 12, when he was appointed the CM, till Aug 16, Saini could effectively work only for around two-anda-half months because of imposition ofmodel code of conduct in March for the parliamentary polls and now in Aug for the Oct 1 assembly election.
During such a short stint, Saini tried his best to showcase the BJP rule in the state, focussing on people-connect. He remained on announcement-making sprees to appease voters ahead of the assembly election.
He convened cabinet meetings in rapid succession, contrary to normal practice and announced sops for employees, backward communities, sarpanches, traders and others.
A large number of jobs were also advertised at the end of his tenure.
However, Saini’s emphasis on extending special benefits to the backward community (BC) set his image as a CM for the BC community rather than a leader for all communities.
The sources in the BJP, however, are of the view that Saini focus on importance of non-Jat community is part of the BJP strategy to consolidate non-Jat votes, as the saffron party hopes that Jat votes would be split among the Congress, INLD and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP).
It was perhaps the only reason that the BJP high command preferred to appoint Saini, an OBC, as the CM while replacing Khattar, added the party sources.
Born on Jan 25, 1970, at Mirjapur Majra village of Naraingarh tehsil in Ambala, Saini claims to have completed his graduation from Bihar and LLB from Uttar Pradesh.
Non-controversial past, rose through the ranks
Saini, however, does not have a controversial past and is considered an old worker of the party. His association with the BJP began as a computer operator in the party’s state headquarters while working with Khattar, who was then serving as an organisational secretary of the BJP.
He was first inducted into the party’s organisational work in 1996 and was made “mahamantri” of the BJP youth wing in Ambala district in 2002.
Later, in 2005, he became district president of Yuva Morcha Ambala and thereafter “mahamantri” of BJP’s Haryana Kisan Morcha. In 2012, he was appointed the district president of Ambala BJP.
He unsuccessfully contested the assembly election in 2009. However, in 2014, he was elected an MLA from Naraingarh and due to his closeness with Khattar, whom he considers as his mentor, he managed to secure a ministerial berth.
In 2019, he was fielded from Kurukshetra parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha elections and registered victory.
In Oct 2023, he became the president of Haryana BJP.
Although he was appointed CM in March to beat the anti-incumbency, he failed the litmus test in the parliamentary polls after the BJP lost five of the 10 LS seats in the state.
Even the vote percentage of BJP had also come down to 12% compared to 2019 LS polls.
If not re-elected after the assembly poll on Oct 1, Saini will be Haryana CM with second shortest tenure.
As of now, Bhajan Lal is Haryana’s longest-serving chief minister, as he held office for 11 years and 10 months.
Haryana’s first CM, Pandit Bhagwat Dyal Sharma, had the shortest tenure of only 143 days from Nov 1, 1966 to March 23, 1967.