BJP picks Dhankar as Haryana chief to woo Jats

Sushil Manav & Vibha Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/New Delhi, July 19

Senior BJP leader Om Prakash Dhankar, who was Agriculture Minister in the ML Khattar government in 2014-2019, was today appointed BJP Haryana unit chief. A Jat, he replaces Subhash Barala, who too is from the community. BJP’s Jat leaders, including Dhankar and Barala, had lost their seats in the 2019 polls.

Barala’s term had ended last year. Dhankar’s appointment is being viewed as an attempt by the saffron party to project its own Jat leader as influential as Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, who heads the JJP.

Also, keeping a balance between Jats and non-Jats with the CM from one caste and the party president from the other has been a practice in Haryana politics for long. Significantly, not only Dhankar comes from Haryana’s Jat heartland, the stronghold of former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, but has also served as national president of BJP’s Kisan Morcha. With his appointment, the BJP hopes to make inroads into the Jat vote bank.

The appointment comes at a time when the BJP is preparing for the byelection to the Baroda Assembly seat, a part of the Jat heartland, which fell vacant after the death of Congress MLA Shri Krishan Hooda.

“My heartiest congratulations to OP Dhankar,” tweeted CM Khattar, describing him as a dedicated party worker whose vast political experience would help further strengthen the state unit. Dhankar has also served as the national secretary of the BJP and as in-charge of the party’s HP affairs. Speaking to The Tribune, he thanked the party high command for reposing faith in him.