Ladwa: Two months before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and five months prior to the Haryana Assembly polls, the BJP replaced Haryana’s Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini. Observers noted that this was in line with the BJP’s pattern of changing incumbent chief ministers before elections.
The BJP’s Lok Sabha outcome in Haryana was underwhelming, securing only five seats. This, coupled with a decade of anti-incumbency, posed a significant challenge for the Assembly elections.
On Tuesday, as the BJP celebrated a historic victory in Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini emerged as the emblem of the party’s success, despite being previously labelled a “dummy CM” by Congress’ Bhupinder Singh Hooda. In an election heavily influenced by anti-incumbency, Saini has demonstrated his unique worth.
As the face of the BJP’s campaign, Saini, along with the party, has effectively navigated the hurdles of anti-incumbency, steering towards a decisive mandate for sustained leadership in Haryana.
Saini appeared fully ready to accept the outcome of a campaign centred around him. In a discussion with India Today TV on Tuesday morning, as the vote count commenced, he stressed that the entire party shared the credit for any victory. Conversely, he was adamant about assuming complete responsibility should there be a defeat.
This showcased Saini’s strong sense of leadership and accountability. The BJP’s victory, under Nayab Singh Saini’s leadership, overcame several obstacles that might have impeded their success.
