Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar along with his cabinet, tendered their resignations on Tuesday. This development coincides with ongoing rumors in Haryana’s political circles about the potential termination of the alliance between the BJP and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). Earlier today, Khattar convened a meeting with BJP and independent MLAs at his residence, following which he proceeded to Raj Bhavan to formally submit his resignation to the Governor. According to Zee News TV sources, there is speculation that Nayab Saini or Sanjay Bhatia may emerge as the potential successors for the position of Haryana’s new Chief Minister. Here is everything you need to know about these leading contenders:
Nayab Singh Saini: Close Ally Of Khattar
Hailing from the OBC community, Saini assumed the position of the Haryana BJP State President, recently. He is currently an MP from Kurukshetra. From 1996 to 2002, he served as the State General Secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal in Haryana. In 2002, he became the District President of the BJP Youth Morcha in Ambala, three years later he was made District President of the BJP Youth Morcha. In 2009, Saini assumed the role of State President of the BJP Kisan Morcha in Haryana. Subsequently, in 2012, he was appointed as the District President of the BJP in Ambala. In 2014, Nayab Singh Saini became an MLA from Narayangarh constituency. Taking a big leap in 2016, he assumed the position of Minister of State in the Haryana government under Khattar’s leadership.
Nayab Singh Saini is claimed to be a close ally of Khattar. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Saini was given a ticket from Kurukshetra, and he became an MP. Following this, in 2023, he was appointed as the state president of the Haryana BJP. Now, Nayab Singh Saini is at the forefront in the race for the Chief Minister position.
Sanjay Bhatia: ABVP Leader Turned MP From Karnal
Sanjay Bhatia has been associated with the BJP’s student wing ABVP since his college days and is a resident of Model Town, Panipat. In 1987, he became the Mandal Secretary and continued his active involvement in ABVP by becoming the District Secretary in 1989. In 1998, Bhatia assumed the role of State Secretary of the BJP Youth Morcha.
In 2019, he secured victory as a Member of Parliament from the Karnal Lok Sabha constituency. Sanjay Bhatia achieved the distinction of the largest victory margin in the state’s 53-year history during the Lok Sabha elections.