CM for just 200 days, Saini is Nayab for BJP in Haryana

Nayab Singh Saini was brought in as Haryana Chief Minister around 200 days ahead of the Assembly election in the state. Saini, with his schemes, won people's confidence, and helped the BJP create history in Haryana, beating 10 years of anti-incumbency.

During the campaign in Haryana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. Modi noted that despite his short tenure, Saini had gained immense popularity. (PTI Photo)

Just two months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and five months before the Haryana Assembly polls, the BJP in March replaced Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini. Many were quick to point out that the move followed a familiar BJP pattern of replacing the incumbent chief ministers just before elections.

The BJP's Lok Sabha performance in Haryana, with only five seats, was a disappointment. The 10-year anti-incumbency made matters worse when it came to the Assembly election.

On Tuesday, as the BJP records a historic win in Haryana, the face of BJP's success in Haryana was no one other than Nayab Singh Saini, whom Congress' Bhupinder Singh Hooda had once called a "dummy CM". In an election where anti-incumbency was expected to play a major role, Saini has proven that he is, indeed, truly "Nayab" (exceptional).

Saini was the face of the BJP campaign, and both the party and the new Chief Minister have successfully overcome the challenges of anti-incumbency by heading to secure a strong mandate for continued governance in Haryana.

Saini looked well-prepared to bear the consequences of the results of a campaign that pivoted on him.

During a conversation with India Today TV on Tuesday morning, just as counting of votes had begun, he emphasised that the responsibility for victory was shared by the entire party. At the same time, he was clear about taking full responsibility in case of a defeat.

It was a display of strong leadership and responsibility from Saini.

"If we lose, the responsibility is mine. After all, I am the face of this campaign. But I have complete faith in our victory," Nayab Singh Saini said.

However, he praised the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, likening it to guiding the party in the battle of Kurukshetra—a battle between dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness).

The BJP win under the leadership of Nayab Singh Saini defied several factors that could have otherwise hindered their success.

Nayab Singh Saini's ascension to the Chief Minister's post came at a critical juncture for the BJP. Following the resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar, who stepped down to take on the role of Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Saini was appointed as the new Chief Minister in March 2024.

The transition occurred just before the Lok Sabha polls, a period that could have been fraught with uncertainty for the BJP.

The transition was smooth as Saini was seen as Khattar's pick.

Even the selection of BJP candidates for the Haryana election had Manohar Lal Khattar's stamp on it.

Stepping into the CM's role months ahead of the election, Saini had a tough task cut out for him. Saini and the BJP were under pressure on multiple fronts.

Agrarian Haryana had been a hotbed of unrest during the 2020–2021 farmer protests against the now-repealed farm laws, witnessing massive demonstrations against both the Narendra Modi-led central government and the Khattar-led state government.

The BJP was facing fire from both jawan and kisan voters. The Agnipath scheme didn't go down well in a state with a significant presence of defence and paramilitary personnel.

Despite exit polls predicting a Congress sweep, Saini remained confident throughout the campaign that the BJP would secure a third consecutive government in Haryana. His leadership on the ground, prominent role in party campaigns, and the party’s strong organisational framework are credited with helping the BJP stay ahead in several key constituencies, including Ladwa, Saini's own seat.

Although Saini was not widely regarded as a mass leader, he was never unpopular.

One of the key reasons why Saini managed to garner substantial public support was his focus on developmental programmes during his short tenure of 210 days.

As Chief Minister, Saini implemented several initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the people. He increased the expenditure limit for gram panchayats from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 21 lakh, enabling these local bodies to undertake more developmental projects.

Additionally, he abolished minimum charges on electricity consumers, making electricity bills solely based on the units consumed. Saini also launched a state subsidy scheme under the "Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna", providing rooftop solar plants to poor families at no financial burden to them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while campaigning in Haryana, noted that Saini had gained immense popularity in Haryana despite his short tenure as the chief minister. This PM Modi attributed to Saini "working tirelessly" for the people of the state.

To counter the backlash from the Agnipath scheme, the Saini-led Cabinet approved the Haryana Agniveer Policy, 2024. This policy aimed at providing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to Agniveers after they had completed their service in the Armed Forces.

These quick initiatives are likely to resonate well with the public in Haryana, particularly in rural areas where such measures can have a substantial impact on daily lives.

Nayab Singh Saini, hailing from one of the OBC castes that make up around 40% of Haryana's population, may have also played a key role in consolidating non-Jat votes.

As a result, these factors helped the BJP regain momentum, allowing it to bounce back in a contest that many onlookers and adversaries had prematurely written off.

Though Saini was handpicked by Khattar, he has emerged as the leader who is the face of BJP's historic hat-trick in Haryana. No one can deny Saini his place on the podium.