New Delhi: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders here on Wednesday, October 9 ahead of his likely swearing-in as the head of the new government in the state following the party’s remarkable win in the assembly polls.
The BJP had indicated during the elections that Saini, who replaced Manohar Lal Khattar in March and hails from the Other Backward Classes, will be its choice for the top post if it wins.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Saini credited Modi’s policies for the party’s success.
He also met home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP president J P Nadda.
Saini said psephologists might have declared the Congress as the favourite to win the polls but he always insisted that people will put their trust in the BJP due to its government’s policies.
To a question about the Congress raising doubts on EVMs, he said the opposition party has been building up a storm of lies.
He said, “The credit of this big win goes to Modi who brought such schemes in the last 10 years that benefitted the poor, farmers, youth and women. These helped all sections of society. People love him, and hence the BJP is coming to power for a third time.”
Modi said on X that he congratulated Saini on the party’s historic win and expressed confidence that the role of Haryana will become more important in the resolve of building ‘viksit Bharat’.
Bucking anti-incumbency, the ruling BJP pulled off a hat-trick of wins in Haryana to retain power and halt Congress’ comeback attempt. The results were announced Tuesday.
While the BJP ended up with its best-ever haul of 48 seats, 11 more than the Congress, parties like the JJP and the AAP were decimated and the INLD managed to win just two seats.
With the party set to form its government, two Independent MLAs – Congress rebel Rajesh Joon and BJP rebel Devendra Kadian – announced their support to it. They met BJP leaders, including the party’s Haryana state president Mohan Lal Badoli, to convey their support.
Another Independent MLA and industrialist Savitri Jindal met Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP’s in-charge for the polls in the state, and will be supporting the party, its leaders said.
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