Chandigarh: Haryana Cabinet minister Anil Vij on Monday shared some pictures, claiming that "workers" seen with a "friend" of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini were also seen with an Independent candidate whom he defeated in the state assembly polls last year.
Days ago, Energy and Transport Minister Vij claimed that there was a plot to make him lose the election last October from the Ambala Cantt seat.
Vij won the Ambala Cantt constituency defeating Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara and became an MLA for the seventh time.
"Ashish Tayal, who calls himself a friend of Nayab Saini, has many pictures with Nayab Saini on Facebook. The same workers who are seen with Ashish Tayal during the (October) assembly elections are also seen with the BJP's rival candidate Chitra Sarwara.
"'Yeh rishta kya kehlata hai?' (What is this relationship called?) Tayal is still Nayab Saini's best friend, so the question arises who made him oppose the BJP candidate?" Saini said in a post along with some pictures on X.
Vij on January 31 claimed despite his publicly raising the matter no action was taken against his detractors.
"...Since I am the senior-most leader and I am saying that efforts were made to defeat me, action should have been taken immediately… but even after 100 days, nothing has been done," Vij said.
After saying this, Vij had also taken a jibe at Saini.
"Still, this is a very serious matter. And it is so because our Chief Minister does not come down from the 'udan khatola' (chopper). Since the day assumed office, he has been on the 'udan khatola'. If he comes down, he will see the suffering of the people. This is not just my voice, but the voice of all MLAs and ministers," Vij claimed.
On Sunday, Vij, while speaking to reporters in Rohtak, had said that no one can take away his seniority. "Everything can be taken away from me but my seniority cannot be snatched. I am a seven-time MLA," Vij had said. On January 30, Vij said he is prepared to go on a fast-unto-death for the people of Ambala like farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
Saini, asked to comment on Vij's allegation, merely said, "Anil Vij is our leader." Vij had often been at odds with Manohar Lal Khattar when he was Haryana's chief minister. Khattar is currently serving as a Union Minister.
When the BJP first came to power in Haryana in 2014, Vij, along with other BJP leaders like Ram Bilas Sharma, was considered a frontrunner for the CM's post. However, the party chose Khattar, a first-time MLA at the time, as its CM candidate. In March 2024, Vij expressed dissatisfaction with the BJP for not consulting him when the party decided to replace Khattar as chief minister and bring in Saini instead.
