Suspense continues over first cabinet expansion of Nayab Saini-led Haryana govt

Chandigarh, Mar 16 (PTI) Suspense continued over the first cabinet expansion of the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government in Haryana even as former minister Anil Vij on Saturday said he was not “upset”.

The development came amid speculations that the first cabinet expansion would take place on Saturday. Saini and five ministers were inducted into the cabinet on Tuesday.

However, there was no word from the government about the cabinet expansion.

Haryana can have maximum 14 ministers, including the chief minister.

At present, the Haryana Cabinet has five ministers — ?four from the BJP and one Independent — ?apart from the chief minister.

Asked what kind of message he had received for reaching the Raj Bhavan and whether the cabinet expansion was going to take place, Gurugram MLA Sudhir Singla said, “It was to take place and the time was at 11 am but it has been deferred.”

Replying to a question, Singla told reporters outside the Haryana governor’s residence that he had received a message to reach there at 11 am.

Asked whether the cabinet expansion was delayed because Anil Vij was upset, Singla said that it got delayed initially because of this reason. “But attempts will be made to persuade him,” he added.

Later, Vij, who was in Ambala, asserted that he was not “upset”.

Asked if attempts are being made to persuade him, Vij said he was not aware of this. “I am standing before you. Neither anybody told me nor contacted me,” he said.

Asked if anybody came to persuade him, Vij said he was not “upset”.

Whether anybody persuaded him after the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Vij said that after the ceremony, nobody has spoken to him yet.

“I even attended the (special) session (of the state assembly) and all were present. Nobody spoke to me. Whatever they are doing, they are doing good. They will run the government efficiently. Nayab Saini (Chief Minister) is my younger brother and I hope he will do very good work,” said Vij.

Vij, who held the home portfolio in the previous Manohar Lal Khattar-led cabinet and was often at loggerheads with him, had not attended the swearing-in ceremony of Nayab Singh Saini and five ministers on Tuesday.

He was earlier said to be “upset” over being “ignored” by the party.

Six-time MLA Vij had also walked out of the legislature party meeting where Saini was unanimously named the chief minister-designate.

Khattar had told reporters on Tuesday that Vij’s name was on the list of new ministers to be sworn in at the Raj Bhavan, but the six-time MLA decided to skip the swearing-in ceremony.

During his Delhi visit on Thursday, Chief Minister Saini, when asked about Vij being “upset”, had said, “Vij sahab is our senior leader, and we have his blessings.”

In a surprise move on Tuesday, the BJP replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with OBC leader Saini as Haryana’s chief minister in a swift switch in the state, just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Saini, who is the party’s state unit president, was sworn in as chief minister on Tuesday along with five ministers hours after the resignation of Khattar.

Saini (54) represents Kurukshetra in the Lok Sabha. The Saini government in Haryana on Wednesday won the trust vote in the special session of the state assembly.