Chandigarh: Haryana BJP President Nayab Singh Saini, chosen unanimously as the leader of the party’s state legislature group, met Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday afternoon to assert his claim for forming the new government in the state.

Saini was joined by Union Minister Arjun Munda, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and Haryana BJP In-charge Biplab Deb.

He is set to be sworn in as the new Chief Minister of the state in an evening ceremony. Saini, a close associate of Khattar, emerged as the unanimous choice for the leader of the state legislature party in a surprising move by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

This development comes weeks before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, while the Haryana assembly elections are scheduled for October.

#WATCH | Haryana BJP president Nayab Singh Saini leaves for Raj Bhawan to take oath as the CM of Haryana. pic.twitter.com/DHhjzh8WOH

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2024

Thanesar BJP MLA Subhash Sudha and outgoing Agriculture Minister JP Dalal confirmed that Saini was unanimously elected as the leader of the state legislature party.

Earlier today, Chief Minister Khattar and his cabinet ministers submitted their resignations to Governor Dattatreya. This move occurred amid speculation of tension within the ruling coalition of the BJP and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) over seat-sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The cabinet, consisting of 14 ministers, including Khattar and three members from the JJP, has resigned. Currently, the BJP holds 41 seats in the 90-member House, with the JJP having 10 seats. The ruling coalition, supported by six Independent MLAs, comfortably exceeds the majority requirement of 46 MLAs.

The Congress, as the main opposition, has 30 MLAs, and the Indian National Lok Dal and Haryana Lokhit Party have one member each.