First-time MLA Mohan Lal Badoli is new BJP chief in Haryana

First-time MLA Mohan Lal Badoli was on Tuesday appointed president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Haryana unit. He took over the party’s reins from Nayab Saini, who was made the Chief Minister in March this year five months into his term as State BJP chief.

With the appointment of Mr. Badoli, a Brahmin, the party has attempted to address the community’s simmering resentment in the run-up to the Assembly poll due later this year. The Rai MLA’s choice is also aimed at further consolidating its non-Jat vote base, especially in the Sonepat-Rohtak region, which is considered to be the stronghold of Congress leader and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Despite the BJP winning simple majority for the first time in Haryana in 2014 under a Brahmin State president, the party had appointed Manohar Lal, a Punjabi, as Chief Minister and replaced him with Mr. Saini, an OBC leader, earlier this year. A section of Brahmins, the second largest community in the State after the Jats, also felt “left out” in the party with Punjabis and Banias, who are almost half of the 12% Brahmin population.