BJP and Rao Inderjit Singh : What are the equations ahead of 2024 assembly elections in Haryana

In 2014, when BJP came to power in Haryana with a full majority and a lesser-known face as Chief Minister (Manohar Lal Khattar), South Haryana wholeheartedly voted for the change and against the discrimination it faced in the Hooda regime for ten years. The leading face of the party in Ahirwal belt, back in 2014 was Rao Inderjit Singh who recently won his fourth consecutive term as MP from Gurugram. The scion of Rampura House shifted his loyalties from Congress to BJP that same year and Rao was awarded MoS (independent charge) for planning, statistics and program implementation, and defense production in Modi 1.0. 

Though Rao’s dream of becoming Haryana’s CM remained unfulfilled in 2014, his supporters were emphatic for 2019. The BJP grabbed all the 10 Lok sabha seats in 2019 and, a few months later formed the coalition government in the state with JJP but again Rao and his supporters had to endure with MoS (independent charge) for statistics program implementation, and planning. 

Come, 2024, the BJP lost 5 out of 10 from its kitty in the Lok Sabha elections but it performed exceptionally well in the Ahirwal belt for which the political pundits again credited Rao Inderjit Singh who managed to hold his sway even after much turbulence.  However, Rao expressed his discontent with the party leadership in the state, while campaigning for the party in the Lok Sabha elections and addressing a public meeting at Sehnung village in Mahendrgarh district, without naming anyone, he said, "It is not sure whether those occupying big positions right now will continue after assembly elections.”

Before the oath ceremony, Rao’s supporters were hopeful of the cabinet rank for their leader in Modi 3.0 but the 6th time MP once again, had to contend with the Union minister of state (independent charge). While rarely any Minister from Modi’s two terms had expressed disappointment in his/her rank, Rao Inderjit Singh expressed his disappointment with the Independent charge while interacting with the media in Hisar. Rao said, “People of Haryana are upset that I haven’t been given a cabinet berth this time either”.

Rao, 74, was probably aware of the coming situation and his supporters just after the Lok sabha elections started making claims for the CM face in 2024. It came in open when, after the result of the Lok sabha election, Rao addressing a large cheerful crowd at his residence in Rewari asked, “Who will be the CM of Haryana?”, and the crowd replied, “Rao Inderjit Singh”, “ye aapka haq hai”.

But a few weeks later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing BJP leaders and workers during a meeting of the party's extended state executive at Panchkula cleared the air and said “Under the leadership of Modi ji and Nayab Singh Saini, we are going to win the trust of the people of Haryana once again. The BJP must move forward with confidence in victory. In the last 10 years, we have worked to bring about change in Haryana. In the past, one government would come and corruption would increase, and another government would come, bringing a reign of strongmen”.

Rao who appeared confident earlier after the result of the Lok Sabha elections, came on the back foot after Amit Shah’s statement and answering a question in Hisar, on his supporters' demand to make him chief minister, he said, “Amit Bhai has announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party will contest the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana under the leadership of Nayab Singh Saini and there is no need for further clarification.”

As it became clear that BJP is now going with Nayab Singh Saini as the CM face, discussions about Rao’s future in the saffron party, started in the political circles of the state. The fact that the Golf lover, Union Minster was not able to get a MLA ticket for her daughter Arti Rao in the last two assembly elections, was used by his opponents to challenge his might and political stature. 

Notably, Rao who earlier claimed for the CM post, also claimed in front of the crowd that his daughter Arti Rao will get a ticket in the upcoming 2024 assembly elections and she will contest without any doubt. Now, with just three months away from the assembly elections, and out of the race for the CM post, Rao is traveling across the Ahirwal and putting his all into convincing the BJP leadership to make Arti Rao, the new rising face of South Haryana.