New Delhi: The cabinet of newly-formed Nayab Singh Saini government in Haryana was sworn in on Thursday. A total of 14 leaders, including the Chief Minister, were given positions in the cabinet. Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers.
Out of the 13 ministers besides the chief minister, six were turncoats who had switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Anil Vij, Krishan Lal Panwar, Rao Narbir, Mahipal Dhanda, Vipul Goyal, Arvind Sharma, Shyam Singh Rana, Ranbir Gangwa, Krishan Bedi, Shruti Chaudhary, Aarti Rao, Rajesh Nagar and Gaurav Gautam have been included in Naib Singh Saini’s cabinet.
Two of these leaders had joined BJP shortly before the elections. Rao Inderjit Singh, a minister in PM Modi Cabinet, and Shruti Chaudhary, daughter of Rajya Sabha MP Kiran Chaudhary, were given ministerial posts in the Nayab Saini cabinet.
Who are the turncoats?
Several of the ministers appointed in the new government were former members of other political parties, making their shift to the BJP a significant factor in the new cabinet lineup. Here are the turncoats:
- Arvind Kumar Sharma: Formerly with Congress, Sharma gained attention when he defeated Deepender Hooda in Rohtak in 2019. However, he lost to Deepender in the 2024 election. Sharma, who later contested and won the Gohna assembly seat, was appointed to the cabinet from the Brahmin quota. He is considered close to the BJP high command.
- Rao Narveer: A seasoned leader from South Haryana, Rao Narveer had a long political career, serving in various parties such as Lok Dal, Congress, and BSP. In the Naib Saini government, Narveer was appointed as a minister from the Yadav quota. He is known for his rivalry with Rao Indrajit Singh in the Ahirwal region.
- Aarti Rao: Elected as an MLA from Ateli, Aarti is the daughter of Rao Indrajit Singh, a Union Minister. Aarti joined BJP alongside her father when he switched from Congress to the BJP. Her inclusion in the cabinet is seen as a strategic move to keep Rao Indrajit Singh in the party’s good graces.
- Shyam Singh Rana: Another leader who joined the BJP just before the elections, Rana was elected from Radaur in Yamunanagar. He was appointed as a minister from the Rajput quota, with the BJP hoping to win over Rajput voters in future elections.
- Ranveer Gangwa: Formerly with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Gangwa became a minister in the Naib Saini government. He had previously won the Nalwa seat but contested and won from Barwala this time. His shift from another party did not seem to affect his popularity in the region.
- Shruti Chaudhary: The granddaughter of former Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal and daughter of Rajya Sabha MP Kiran Chaudhary, Shruti joined BJP along with her mother before the elections. She was appointed as a minister to secure support from the Jat community.
Family connections and caste-wise break-up
Family connections played a major role in the new cabinet formation, with Shruti Chaudhary and Aarti Rao being major examples. Another leader with strong family ties, Rajesh Nagar, was also given a ministerial post. Nagar’s father, Roop Swaroop Nagar, has long been a powerful figure in Haryana BJP politics.
BJP has tried to ensure that all major communities in Haryana were represented in the cabinet. The new government includes two Brahmins, two Dalits, two Jats, and two Yadavs. Additionally, ministers were appointed from the Rajput, Gurjar, Saini, Gangwa, Punjabi, and Vaishya communities.
From the OBC community, Nayab Singh Saini himself represents the group, while the Punjabi community is represented by Anil Vij. Krishna Lal Panwar and Krishna Bedi were included from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.
The Jat community has Mahipal Thanda and Shruti Chaudhary in the cabinet, while Rao Narveer and Aarti Rao represent the Yadavs. Brahmins also have a strong presence with Arvind Sharma and Gaurav Gautam. Shyam Singh Rana represents the Rajput community, Rajesh Nagar the Gurjars, Vipul Goyal the Vaishyas, and Ranveer Gangwa from the BC-OBC category.
Limited representation from RSS cadre
Despite the influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in BJP politics, only four ministers from the RSS cadre were included in the cabinet. These were Mahipal Dhanda, Gaurav Gautam, Anil Vij, and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini himself.
BJP, which won 47 out of 90 seats in Haryana Assembly, formed the government with the support of two independent candidates.
List of ministers in new Haryana cabinet:
| Minister Name | Description |
| Nayab Singh Saini | Chief Minister and representative of the OBC community, influential within the BJP and previously served in various capacities within the party. |
| Arvind Kumar Sharma | Formerly with Congress, gained attention by defeating Deepender Hooda in 2019 but lost in 2024. Represents the Brahmin quota and is close to BJP leadership. |
| Rao Narveer | A seasoned politician with a history in Lok Dal, Congress, and BSP, representing the Yadav quota. Known for rivalry with Rao Indrajit Singh. |
| Aarti Rao | Elected from Ateli, daughter of Union Minister Rao Indrajit Singh. Joined BJP with her father, her appointment secures familial loyalty within the party. |
| Shyam Singh Rana | Joined BJP shortly before the elections and was elected from Radaur. Represents the Rajput community, aimed at winning Rajput votes in future elections. |
| Ranveer Gangwa | Former INLD member, won Barwala seat this time. His shift to BJP did not affect his popularity, representing the BC-OBC category. |
| Shruti Chaudhary | Granddaughter of former CM Bansi Lal and daughter of MP Kiran Chaudhary. Joined BJP with her mother, aimed at securing Jat community support. |
| Rajesh Nagar | Comes from a powerful political family in Haryana. His inclusion helps solidify family ties within the BJP. |
| Mahipal Thanda | Represents the Jat community, influential within the party and appointed to strengthen Jat representation in the cabinet. |
| Gaurav Gautam | Represents the Brahmin community and part of the RSS cadre, contributing to the party’s ideological foundations. |
| Anil Vij | A senior leader from the Punjabi community, also part of the RSS cadre, previously served in various capacities in Haryana politics. |
| Krishna Lal Panwar | Represents the Scheduled Caste category, focusing on development issues for marginalized communities. |
| Krishna Bedi | Also from the Scheduled Caste category, contributes to the government’s representation of SC interests in Haryana. |
| Vipul Goyal | Represents the Vaishya community, involved in business and trade issues, helping bridge the gap between business interests and political representation. |
