New Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini cleared a floor test aimed at proving that BJP had majority status in the assembly even after breaking ties with Dushyant Chautala’s JJP.

“I come from a humble family background, no one is in politics in my family. I am just a party worker of the BJP and today I have been given such a big opportunity. I must say that this can be possible only in a party like the BJP,” Mr Saini said in the State Assembly.

“I have learnt everything from scratch from former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. I have learnt even the minutest things from him and how to maintain them,” he added.

Haryana witnessed a swift change of government over the past 48 hours, with senior BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar and the entire cabinet, which included three from the JJP, quitting Tuesday.

The proximate cause of the break-up of Mr Khattar’s government was the failure of the BJP-JJP alliance, which was formed after the 2019 Assembly election, in which the former emerged as the single-largest party but fell six seats short of an outright majority.

Mr Saini was chosen as the new chief minister after the surprise resignation.

Speaking in the assembly today, Mr Saini said, “Manohar Lal is a “saint” and he has given a lot to Haryana, strengthened it and it was his thinking that weaker sections and poor should get benefits at their doorsteps.”

Saini said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao programme in 2015 and added the BJP government in the state took it as a pledge to ensure success of the programme.

Chandigarh:

Day after skipping new Chief Minister Nayab Saini’s swearing-in ceremony, senior BJP leader Anil Vij clarified that he was still with the party. “I am a bhakt of the BJP; situations may change but I will continue to work for the party,” Mr Vij told reporters outside the Haryana assembly.

Mr Vij had created waves among Haryana’s political circles when he walked out in a huff of the BJP legislature party meeting where Mr Saini was elected as the leader. Nayab Saini was appointed as the Haryana Chief Minister after Manohar Lal Khattar resigned along with his cabinet.

Mr Vij was upset as the party ignored him and decided to elevate Mr Saini. In 2014 too, when Mr Vij was among the frontrunners for the post of chief minister after the BJP came to power on its own strength in Haryana, the party chose first-time MLA Khattar for the post.

Emerging out of the BJP’s meeting in Haryana Niwas before Mr Saini’s oath-taking ceremony, when asked what transpired in the meeting, Mr Vij evaded a direct reply, saying “batane wale batayenge”. “Those who have come from Delhi will tell,” said Mr Vij as he was seen leaving in a huff.

When asked if Anil Vij was upset over the developments, Mr Khattar had said that the leader’s name was on the list of ministers to be inducted into the new cabinet.

In the past too, there have been many incidents when Mr Vij got upset over something but later on, things were normal, said Mr Khattar.

Amid political turmoil, the Haryana Assembly is holding a special session today where the newly elected Chief Minister will prove his majority in a floor test. The BJP has the support of six Independent MLAs, taking its figure to 47 – one over the majority mark in the 90-member Assembly. Five MLAs of Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) are also expected to cross over to the BJP.

The change in leadership was prompted by the collapse of the alliance between the BJP and JJP.

The two parties went separate ways after failing to agree on a seat-sharing alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

New Delhi/Gurugram:
As BJP broke up with its Haryana ally Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) yesterday, Manohar Lal Khattar was replaced as the Chief Minister with Nayab Saini. A floor test, – which will most likely be a routine procedure – is scheduled for 11 am.

Here are the top 10 updates on this big story

Haryana’s new Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said they have presented a letter of support of 48 MLAs to the governor and asked him to convene an assembly session on Wednesday so that the BJP government can prove its majority in the House.

Mr Saini took oath as chief minister on Tuesday hours after the surprise resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar from the post along with his cabinet ministers.

“We have urged the governor to convene the assembly session tomorrow when we will prove our majority on the floor of the House,” Saini told reporters here after assuming charge and holding a meeting of his cabinet.

When asked how many MLAs are in support of the government, Saini, who is also Haryana BJP chief, said, “We gave a letter of support of 48 MLAs to the governor.” 

In the 90-member state assembly, the BJP has 41 members, and it also enjoys support of six of the seven independents as well as of lone Haryana Lokhit Party MLA Gopal Kanda. The JJP has 10 MLAs in the House.

The main opposition Congress has 30 MLAs while the Indian National Lok Dal has one.

Amid differences over seat sharing for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP’s alliance with the JJP has virtually come apart.

Mr Saini said that in the cabinet meeting, a resolution was adopted to thank the works done by the outgoing Khattar cabinet.

“During the past nine-and-a-half years, he (Khattar) gave new direction to Haryana, presented example of good governance. ‘Haryana Ek Haryanvi Ek’ was not a mere slogan, but equitable development was carried out. We have worked without discrimination in the spirit of Antyodaya,” Mr Saini said.

The Khattar government has scripted history in many spheres be it online transfer policy of teachers or giving jobs on merit, he said.

Mr Saini also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the party gave new responsibility to him.

“The new responsibility has been entrusted on me…we will work with full dedication and deliver on the expectations of people,” he said.

He also said challenges come with responsibility and he is ready to face them.

Five MLAs — four from the BJP and one independent — were also sworn in as ministers. However, former home minister and six-term MLA from Ambala Cantt, Anil Vij, has not found a place in the new cabinet.

Mr Saini, the 54-year-old OBC leader, was administered oath by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya at the oath-taking ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan here.

Earlier in the day, Khattar and all 13 other members of the BJP-led council of ministers submitted their resignations to the governor as a team of the party’s central observers arrived in Chandigarh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)