The BJP is towing a fine line in Haryana ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, sending multiple messages through the change in in the top post. Sources said the change made it necessary for the whole cabinet — including Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala of JJP  to resign — which was what the party was aiming for.

The BJP and JJP (Jannayak Janata Party) had fallen out over seat sharing in the state. While the BJP wanted to contest all 10 Lok Sabha seats, the JJP, which failed to win any in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, wanted at least two seats.

But an open break-up with JJP or sacking of Mr Chautala from the cabinet would have sent a wrong message to Jats, a substantial chunk of the state’s population.

The BJP, sources said, chose to take a roundabout way.

A second set of message was sent through the choice of state BJP chief Nayab Saini, a strong leader of the Other Backward castes, to fill the shoes of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar — one that showed the party supporting the non-Jats as well.

Chaudhary Birendra Singh’s son and BJP MP from Hisar Brijendra Chaudhary joining the Congress last week is also linked to this, sources said.

Around 20 per cent of Haryana’s population are Jats, the rest belong to other communities.

Mr Saini, the BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from Kurukshetra, will take oath at 5 pm today.

Assembly elections in the state will be held on time — there is no need to hold simultaneous polls with the Lok Sabha election, sources said.

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