Chandigarh: Six-time legislator and Haryana’s former home minister Anil Vij on Sunday said that he would stake claim to the chief minister’s post on the basis of his seniority if BJP comes to power.
The statement has embarrassed the state leadership as the BJP has already decided to fight the election under the incumbent chief minister Nayab Singh Saini.
The polling for the 90- member Haryana assembly is scheduled for October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8. Stating that while he is the senior most MLA in the party and he has never asked for anything in the past, the people of the state wanted him to be the chief minister. He held that the decision is to be taken by the party high command but if he is made the chief minister, he would change the fate and face of Haryana.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Responds To Vij's Outburst
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was quick to respond to Vij’s unpretentious outburst and assert that Saini is the BJP's CM face and the party will score a hattrick in the state under his leadership.
Why Was Anil Vij Dropped From The Haryana Cabinet?
Vij was dropped from the Haryana Cabinet after Saini was sworn in as chief minister in March this year, replacing Manohar Lal Khattar. When pointed out that Saini has already been declared the chief ministerial candidate, 71-year-old Vij told PTI, "There is no bar on staking claim; let the party take a call."
Due to his indiscreet remarks, Vij is seen as the ‘enfant terrible’ of the party. Vij presented a "report card" about his work done during his stints and future plans under the slogan "We have worked, and we will continue to work," at an event in Ambala in the run-up to the upcoming October 5 assembly polls, and said that his Ambala Cantt constituency had been deprived of development, but he had worked hard to secure its rightful share.
He said that some of his achievements included building 150 Dharamshalas in Ambala Cantt, setting up a civil hospital, a cancer hospital, 100 flats for doctors, setting up the largest bus stand in Haryana, brought a canal waterbased scheme to raise the water level in Ambala and resolved electricity issues.
Vij said that the problem of grain markets was severe in Ambala, with grain being stored in the city and causing dust pollution. Although many leaders had laid foundation stones for grain markets, no one delivered. He got a grain market built on GT Road. He also noted that since the 1857 Revolt (the first War of Independence) against British Rule and many unsung heroes were martyred here, he had got a Memorial - which will be the largest in Asia - being built here. He also mentioned numerous other major projects brought to Ambala Cantt, including Ambala’s ring road, an airport, a civil secretariat and science museum, and various sports facilities here.
