Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday ahead of the formation of the BJP government for a record third consecutive term in Haryana after winning 48 out of the 90 Assembly seats in the state. The oath-taking ceremony is likely to be held after Dussehra, and PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are likely to attend.

Saini credited the Prime Minister for the historic BJP hat-trick in Haryana. He also met BJP chief JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah.  Attributing the party's unprecedented performance in the state to the PM's politics of performance and good governance and his philosophy of "taking everyone along", Saini described the meeting as a courtesy.

State BJP Chief Mohal Lal Badoli said that CM Saini called on PM Narendra Modi and top central brass for courtesy. "Today, CM Nayab Saini, me and other leaders have come on a courtesy visit to meet our central leadership. We will convey the information regarding the oath-taking ceremony and more as soon as we discuss it with the central leadership," Badoli said. The BJP chief said that it’s a “victory of PM Modi’s policies in Haryana.”

He further said, “It is a victory of 36 ‘biradaris’ of Haryana and the hard work of lakhs of BJP workers. 48 BJP candidates have won and three Independent candidates have also won. Two Independent MLAs – Devender Kadyan from Ganaur and Rajesh Joon from Bahadurgarh – have decided to support the BJP government which will be formed in Haryana.”

Former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, said that silent voters have played a major role towards ensuring a third term for the BJP in the state. “The kind of work that the BJP is doing under the leadership of PM Modi, it is all being liked by the people. People are liking the policies and they are responding to it… Silent voters have played a major role. Vocal voters discuss their issues with the media, but silent voters don’t,” he added.

Party sources said that discussions on Cabinet and Government formation will happen once a meeting of the BJP legislature party is called and observers are appointed for the election of the leader. BJP leaders said Saini would be retained as CM with the PM signaling the same by calling him and crediting him and former CM ML Khattar for the party's performance in the state.

The BJP leader further said that the PM was closely involved with party strategy and even spoke to all booth-level workers of BJP Haryana personally to motivate them to mobilise voter support and focus on the BJP's good governance and all inclusive growth as key narratives in the state elections. The PM also told booth workers of the party to remain unfazed in the face of opposition onslaught with respect to jawan-kisan-pehelwan, he added.

3 Independent MLAs extend support to BJP after Haryana results

With the BJP set to form its government for the third time in Haryana after winning the polls, all the three Independent MLAs -- Savitri Jindal, Devender Kadyan and Rajesh Joon on Wednesday decided to extend support to the BJP government once it is sworn in.

While Joon was a Congress rebel, Kadyan fought as an Independent after the BJP denied him ticket. Kadyan fought from the Ganaur constituency in Sonipat and defeated his nearest Congress rival Kuldeep Sharma.

Joon won from the Bahadurgarh seat in the Jhajjar district, defeating his nearest BJP rival Dinesh Kaushik.

Savitri Jindal fought as an Independent candidate from Hisar and won against her nearest Congress rival Ram Niwas Rara. BJP's Kamal Gupta, who was the sitting legislator and minister in the outgoing Saini Cabinet, ended up at the third spot.

Savitri Jindal said she has decided to extend support to the BJP government after it is formed.  "I want development for Hisar and want it to become a beautiful city, for this I extend my support," Savitri Jindal said.

Jindal Group Chairperson Emeritus Jindal had earlier said she contested Hisar elections because of the wishes of the people.

Before Jindal took the decision to extend support, State BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli said earlier on Wednesday that Kadyan and Joon have decided to extend their support to the BJP government once it is sworn in. On Wednesday, the two Independents met Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was BJP's election in-charge for Haryana, and former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, the co-incharge for the state, he said. Later, Savitri Jindal also held a meeting with the BJP leaders in the national capital.

Bucking anti-incumbency, the ruling BJP pulled off a hat-trick of wins in the state on Tuesday to retain power and thwart Congress' comeback attempt in the assembly elections, winning 48 seats in the 90-member Assembly.