Great Expectations: How BJP Has To Walk The Fine Caste Line In Haryana To Balance CM Saini's New Cabinet

Nayab Singh Saini celebrates with BJP leaders and workers after he was unanimously elected as the party's legislature party leader. (Image: PTI)

The BJP is aware of the expectations it has to meet when it comes to fair representation in the new cabinet. Punjabis, who gave maximum votes to the party in the Haryana assembly polls, will have to be considered along with Yadavs, Brahmins, Rajputs, Gujjars and Dalits

The BJP created history in Haryana with a spectacular record-breaking win in the assembly elections for the third consecutive time, but it is payback time now. An unprecedented non-Jat, non-Muslim consolidation powered the saffron party to victory, which now calls for fair caste-wise representation in the new state cabinet.

The BJP leadership is aware of the expectations on caste lines, while sources say a round of meetings took place in Chandigarh on Wednesday evening (October 16), ahead of the day Nayab Singh Saini returns as the chief minister.

Caste and numbers

Punjabis – a community which Saini’s predecessor, Manohar Lal Khattar belongs to – but was put on the backburner during the election campaigning due to political considerations, appear to have given maximum votes to the BJP at 68 percent. The party is mindful that the community not only deserves its due in the cabinet but this needs to be seen to have been done.

Yadavs come next with 62 percent voting for the BJP, which makes this caste an equal claimant for cabinet posts in the new administration. In fact, among the other backward classes (OBCs), Yadavs and Gujjars are those that need to be kept in mind, said party sources.

According to the sources, while 44 percent of Gujjar votes went to the Congress and 37 percent to the BJP, the latter appreciates the community’s backing. Those familiar with the exercise in Chandigarh told News18, on condition of anonymity, that Brahmins and Rajputs in the upper caste section will also be thought of during cabinet representation. At least 51 percent of Brahmin votes went to the BJP along with 59 percent of other upper caste votes.

While the BJP did not get a great deal of votes from Jatav Dalits – 35 percent – a Dalit face in the cabinet, Jatav or otherwise, is a political compulsion.

Kaun banega mantri?

With Saini’s re-election, his community in particular and OBCs in general are happy in Haryana. So, there is no pressing issue for the BJP to appease this section while walking the fine caste line for cabinet selection.

But, what about the specifics?

One of the most discussed names in the BJP circle this Haryana election has been Rao Narveer Singh. He won from the Badshahpur seat in Gurugram district this time, defeating the Congress candidate by 60,000 votes.

He publicly challenged the leadership to face his rebellion should the ticket be given to someone else. The internal survey indicated a landslide victory for him. But, the party was wary about Rao Inderjit Singh’s tiff with him.

Other names among the probables are Moolchand Sharma, a Brahmin who won from Ballabgarh; Anil Vij, who, after sulking for a while, has been tamed, and has come to terms with the reality that he is not becoming the CM; Ranveer Gangwa from Barwala; Shruti Choudhry, a Jat who helped the BJP make inroads into Jatland by winning Tosham; Arvind Sharma, another Brahmin who won from Gohana; Krishna Bedi from Narwana among others.