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Trouble is brewing for Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini with state Energy and Transport Minister Anil Vij firing a fresh salvo at him.
After taking a swipe last week at Saini by calling him an 'udan khatola CM (helicopter chief minister)', Vij has now accused the CM's close aide of working against the Bharatiya Janata Party's interests in the state.
In a post on X, Vij questioned why Saini's close aide Ashish Tayal worked for Chitra Sarwara, his opponent in the Ambala cantonment seat, and against him.
He then posted a series of photographs where Tayal is seen campaigning for Sarwara, an Independent candidate, and Tayal later accompanying Saini.
In the assembly elections in October 2024, BJP veteran Vij, a seven-time MLA, won the Ambala Cantt seat by a low margin of 7,248 votes against Congress rebel Sarwara, who was contesting as an Independent.
In the 2019 Haryana assembly election Vij had defeated Sarwara by 20,165 votes.
Vij has always considered himself to be a contender for the CM's post, but was overlooked by the BJP's Modi-Shah leadership who first opted for Manohar Lal Khattar in 2014 and then for Saini in March 2024 when Khattar, one of Modi's old friends, stepped down.
It was then believed that Vij would quit the party on being snubbed but he put out a statement that he was a loyal soldier of the BJP and would always remain one.
In September 2024, one month before the Haryana elections, Vij addressed a press conference and stated, 'I never sought anything from the party till this date. But this time based on my seniority I am claiming the chief minister's post.
'Even in my constituency Ambala, my voters tell me that I am the senior-most person, so why did I not become chief minister last time? On demand from the people of Haryana I am going to stake my claim to become the chief minister.'
Vij has now also opened another front against Haryana's BJP chief, Monah Lal Badoli.
'He is accused under section 376D (gang rape). How can such a person chair a meeting of women?' Vij asked.
Last month a case of gang rape was registered against Badoli and singer Rocky Mittal following a complaint from a Delhi-based woman who alleged that the duo had gangraped her at Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, when she was on a road trip in July 2023.
Both Badoli and Mittal have denied the allegation.
'Badoli must uphold the party's principles and step down immediately,' Vij demanded.
'Our party leader like (L K) Advaniji resigned when allegations were made against him. Badoli is not above him.'