New Delhi: After achieving a historic third consecutive election victory, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now focusing on establishing the new government in Haryana, particularly on forming a cabinet that reflects the state's caste dynamics. The party's 48 newly elected legislators are set to meet later today, but attention is primarily on the central leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Haryana government can include a maximum of 14 ministers, including the Chief Minister-elect, Nayab Singh Saini, who met with Modi at his residence in Delhi on Wednesday.

Sources have informed NDTV that the BJP has approved a second (and first full) term for Saini, leaving 13 cabinet positions to fill. The party will need to identify 11 new candidates, as only Mahipal Dhanda and Mool Chand Sharma have retained their seats.

Balancing caste considerations and community expectations in the government formation process is challenging but has been successfully navigated by the BJP in recent elections. After winning in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh last December, the party took time to consult with MLAs and state leaders before announcing its chief ministers and cabinets.

Similar strategies will likely be employed in Haryana, where the BJP has nine MLAs from the Dalit community, eight of Punjabi descent, seven Brahmins, and six each from the Jat and Yadav communities. The party also includes leaders from the Gurjar, Rajput, Vaishya, and OBC groups.

Among the nine Dalit MLAs, six-time MLA Krishna Lal Panwar and two-time MLA Krishna Bedi are prominent figures. The group of eight Punjabi MLAs features seven-time MLA and former Home Minister Anil Vij, who expressed disappointment in March when he was not chosen as Chief Minister after Manohar Lal Khattar stepped down.

Vij, who won his Ambala Cantonment seat, has again shown interest in the Chief Minister position, which could pose challenges for the party. Another notable candidate is Jind MLA Krishnan Middha, who has won three consecutive terms.

Ghanshyam Das Arora from Yamunanagar, another three-time MLA, may be overlooked due to his seat being in the Ambala area, potentially favoring Vinod Bhayana, a three-time MLA from Hansi.

For the Brahmins, three-time MLA Mool Chand Sharma from Ballabgarh is likely to be retained in the cabinet. Other potential candidates include two-time Lok Sabha MP Arvind Sharma, who won in Gohana, and Ram Gautam, who secured Safidon, a seat the BJP had never previously won.

A critical aspect for the BJP is the support from six MLAs in the Ahirwal belt, who overwhelmingly voted for the party this time, contributing to the defeat of Congress. This group includes six-time MLA Rao Narbir Singh from Badhsahpur, who was part of the Khattar government following the 2014 elections.

Aarti Rao, daughter of veteran junior Union Minister Rao Indrajit, won the Ateli seat for the first time and is being considered for the cabinet, along with two-time MLA Laxman Yadav.

The Jat community, one of Haryana's largest demographics, also features prominently. Mahipal Dhanda, a two-time MLA from Panipat (Rural), is expected to be retained, while Krishna Gehlawat, elected for a second term from Rai, is also in contention. Shruti Chaudhary, the daughter of Rajya Sabha MP Kiran Chaudhary, could be a significant new addition.

Other potential candidates include former minister Vipul Goyal from the Vaishya community.

Additionally, Savitri Jindal, India's richest woman and an independent MLA from Hisar, has formally pledged her support to the BJP. The Rajput community might be represented by Shyam Singh Rana, while three-time MLA Harvinder Kalyan could represent the Road community. Ranbir Gangwa, who served as Deputy Speaker in the previous government, may represent the OBC community, and Rajesh Nagar, a two-time MLA from Tigaon, could be the Gurjar representative.

Disclaimer:- This image is taken from NDTV