New Delhi: The BJP has appointed Kurukshetra MP Nayab Singh Saini as the president of the Haryana state unit, a year ahead of the assembly polls in the state. Saini replaces OP Dhankar as the BJP seeks to mobilise non-Jat votes.
Dhankar, on the other hand, was appointed as a national secretary by the party. He had earlier been chief of the BJP Kisan Morcha. Both the appointments were made by party president JP Nadda.
The appointment of Saini, who is from the OBC community, could help the BJP consolidate its hold among the community as well as garner the support of the Jats. Naib Singh Saini is also the national vice president of BJP OBC Morcha.
According to the BJP’s strategy, it will try to woo the non-Jat community on its own, while the Jats will be wooed by Dushyant Chautala’s Jananayak Janata Party (JJP), who is in alliance with the BJP in the state.
The Jats, who constitute the biggest votebank in the state, vote for the Congress, JJP and the INLD. There are also speculations that among the reasons behind the removal of Dhankhar from the post of state president is his tussle with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
(Published 27 October 2023, 13:27 IST)