Haryana Assembly Polls: Anil Vij, Ambala Cantonment MLA

A bachelor committed to the RSS ideology, Vij is a five-term MLA since 1990. A former state BJYM chief, Vij worked in State Bank of India before joining politics.

Anil Vij is the BJP MLA from Ambala Cantonment assembly constituency of Haryana.

Anil Vij

A bachelor committed to the RSS ideology, Vij is a five-term MLA since 1990. A former state BJYM chief, Vij worked in State Bank of India before joining politics.

Educational qualification: BSc

Assets declared in 2014: Rs 86.54 lakh

Moveable assets: Rs 15.54 lakh

Immovable assets: Rs 71 lakh

Constituency primer: The Punjabi-dominated constituency has so far sent 10 MLAs from the community to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha in the 13 elections held so far. BJP leader and former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was elected as an MLA for the first time at 25 from this segment in 1977.

Electoral history:

2014: BJP’s Vij defeated Congress strongman Nirmal Singh by 15,462 votes.

2009: Vij defeated Nirmal Singh by 6,338 votes.

2005: Congress’ DK Bansal defeated Vij, then an independent candidate, by 615 votes.

How he performed: Known for his controversial remarks, Vij is a man on the move. Development isn’t an issue here, it is visible. The minister pumped in crores to transform the segment. The setting up of the 150-bed civil hospital is an example. Work on projects such as the cancer care hospital, domestic airport, war memorial, four-lane road from Ambala cantonment to Saha, which is a two-decade-old demand, is in full swing. However, residents say issues such as traffic congestion and civic problems didn’t get attention. Neither were efforts made to revive the scientific instruments industry that gave jobs to thousands.

By the way: For 25 years, Vij holds chai pe charcha every morning at a kiosk in Sadar Bazaar