Anil Vij expresses desire to become Haryana CM if BJP wins: 'I am the senior-most MLA'
PTC News Desk: Former cabinet minister and six-time BJP MLA, Anil Vij, declared on Sunday that he should be made the chief minister of Haryana if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secures victory in the upcoming assembly elections. His statement comes at a critical time, as the BJP has already positioned Nayab Singh Saini as its chief ministerial candidate should the party retain power.
Addressing the media, Vij, the longest-serving BJP MLA in Haryana, pointed out that he had never asked the party for anything in the past. However, this time, he expressed his willingness to claim the chief minister’s position based on his seniority and public support.
#WATCH | BJP candidate from Ambala Cantt Assembly constituency Anil Vij says, "I am the senior most MLA of BJP in Haryana. I have contested elections for 6 times. On the demand of people, I will claim for the designation of CM on the basis of my seniority this time. However, it… pic.twitter.com/jdwQt9nKSS — ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2024
"I am the senior-most MLA of BJP in Haryana, having contested six elections. Responding to the demand of the people, I will stake my claim for the CM position based on my seniority," Vij said. He acknowledged that the final decision rests with the party’s high command but asserted that if he becomes the CM, he would "transform the face of Haryana."
Vij is running for re-election from the Ambala Cantt constituency, marking his ninth nomination this week.
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Earlier this year, in May, Vij voiced dissatisfaction with the way he was being treated within his party, feeling marginalised and sidelined. This discontent arose after the BJP named Nayab Singh Saini as the party's choice for CM, replacing Vij’s former colleague, Manohar Lal Khattar.
Vij had previously held key portfolios including home, health, AYUSH, and medical education and research in Khattar’s cabinet.
The elections for Haryana's 90 assembly seats will take place on October 5, with the vote count scheduled for October 8.
In June, Home Minister Amit Shah publicly backed Nayab Singh Saini as the party's leader for the upcoming elections, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi also campaigned in support of Saini during a rally in Kurukshetra, commending his achievements as chief minister since taking office in March.
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- With inputs from agencies
