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Naib Saini Emerges as Haryana’s Most Powerful CM with Over 13 Key Departments, Including Home and Finance Haryana’s new Chief Minister, Naib Saini, has emerged as one of the most powerful leaders in the state’s political history, after being assigned more than 13 crucial departments in the recent cabinet formation. Notably, Saini will retain the Home, Finance, and Excise ministries, further solidifying his influence. This makes him even more powerful than previous BJP Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Congress CM Bhupinder Hooda in terms of key portfolios.
Unlike his predecessors, Bhupinder Hooda, who served as CM from 2005 to 2014, never held the Finance or Excise ministries, as these were handled by other ministers during his tenure. Manohar Lal Khattar, who was CM from 2014 to 2023, had significant portfolios in his first term, including Home, but lacked control over Finance. In his second term, starting in 2019, Khattar had to hand over the Home department to Anil Vij, retaining only the CID (Criminal Investigation Department).
However, in this new BJP government formed for the third time, Naib Saini now holds both the Home and CID departments, enhancing his control over law and order in the state.
Cabinet Formation and Distribution of Portfolios
On October 17, Naib Saini and 13 other ministers were sworn in, marking the beginning of Haryana’s new BJP-led government. Late Sunday night, the ministers were allocated their respective departments.
While Naib Saini holds more than 13 departments, including the most influential ones, Anil Vij, who held the Home department in the previous term, now only has three departments, including Power. Other prominent ministers like Vipul Goel, Shyam Singh Rana, Krishna Kumar Bedi, Aarti Rao, and Gaurav Gautam have been assigned three departments each.
In addition, Mahipal Dhanda, Dr. Arvind Sharma, and Rao Narbir Singh have been given four departments each. Ministers like Krishna Lal Panwar, Ranbir Gangwa, Shruti Choudhary, and Rajesh Nagar have received two departments each. Specific allocations include Health for Aarti Rao, Local Bodies for Vipul Goel, Education for Mahipal Dhanda, Sports for Gaurav Gautam, Agriculture for Shyam Singh Rana, Panchayats and Mining for Krishna Lal Panwar, Women and Child Development for Shruti Choudhary, Jails for Dr. Arvind Sharma, Industries for Rao Narbir Singh, Social Justice for Krishna Kumar Bedi, Public Works Department (PWD) for Ranbir Gangwa, and Food Supplies for Rajesh Nagar.
Political Strategy Behind Saini’s Power
The BJP fought the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections with Naib Saini as their chief ministerial candidate, securing a majority by winning 48 out of 90 seats, despite a strong Congress presence in the state. This victory was pivotal in ensuring Saini’s rise to power, as the central leadership of the BJP made strategic decisions to prevent any obstacles in his path.
One of the most notable internal conflicts during the previous government was the tension between former CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Anil Vij over the Home and CID departments. While Vij handled the Home ministry, Khattar retained control of the CID, leading to frequent disagreements. To avoid such conflicts this time around, both departments have been entrusted to Naib Saini.
Focus on New Faces and Strategic Allocations
In this latest cabinet formation, the BJP has shown increased trust in newer faces, with ministers like Aarti Rao, Vipul Goel, Krishna Lal Panwar, Rao Narbir, and Ranbir Gangwa being assigned major departments. However, the allocation of portfolios has been seen as a downgrade for seasoned leaders like Anil Vij, who no longer holds the influential Home department.
This strategic reshuffling also sees Mahipal Dhanda receiving only two key departments, which some view as a step down compared to his earlier standing. The BJP leadership’s choices reflect an emphasis on reinforcing the authority of the Chief Minister while maintaining a balance of power among the ministers.
With Naib Saini now in control of Haryana’s most crucial departments, the new cabinet marks a significant shift in the state’s political landscape. His appointment as CM, combined with the allocation of key portfolios like Home, Finance, and Excise, demonstrates the BJP’s faith in his leadership. The upcoming term will likely see further consolidation of Saini’s influence, as he leads the state through the challenges ahead.
