‘Will claim CM post...’: BJP’s Anil Vij counters party’s stance on Nayab Singh Saini ahead of Haryana assembly polls 

Senior BJP leader and former minister Anil Vij on September 15 staked claim to the chief minister post if the party returns to power in Haryana after the October 5 Assembly elections. 

The six-time MLA’s big claims are in contradiction to the party’s official stand on Nayab Singh Saini as the next CM if it comes back to power. Saini is also the party’s chief ministerial face in the polls. 

“I never sought anything from the party till today... people from Haryana are coming to meet me. Even in Ambala, people tell me that I am senior-most why I did not become CM. On demand of the people, and on the basis of seniority, this time I will stake claim to become chief minister,” Vij told PTI. 

The Ambala Cantt MLA left the judgement to the party on the matter and added that if he becomes CM, he will change Haryana’s ‘takdeer and tasveer’ (face and destiny of Haryana). 

Clarifying his party’s stance on Saini as CM face, Vij said that there is no bar on staking the claim. Asked about the timing of his decision with polls only a couple of weeks away, the MLA said he took the decision after people came to meet him. 

In March, Manohar Lal Khattar was replaced by Saini as chief minister. BJP is aiming to retain power in the state for the third consecutive time. 

Polling for the 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and the votes will be counted on October 8. 

Meanwhile, BJP is suffering an exodus of exits by several top leaders over denial of tickets ahead of crucial assembly polls. The exiting leaders claimed that BJP rewarded many new entrants and turncoats with tickets while ignoring those who have been working for years.