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Vij stakes claim to top post, Union minister Pradhan says Saini is BJP’s CM face in Haryana
Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini is the BJP’s CM face and the party will score a hat-trick of wins in the state under his leadership, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan asserted on Sunday after its senior leader Anil Vij said being the senior-most in the BJP, he will keep forward the demand that he should be made the chief minister if the party returns to power.
Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini is the BJP’s CM face and the party will score a hat-trick of wins in the state under his leadership, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan asserted on Sunday after its senior leader Anil Vij said being the senior-most in the BJP, he will keep forward the demand that he should be made the chief minister if the party returns to power.
Former cabinet minister and Ambala Cantonment MLA Vij, a six-time MLA, was addressing the media at his election office in Ambala Cantt on Sunday where he also presented a report card of his tenure and later made the announcement.
Speaking to reporters, the BJP stalwart said that he has never put forward any demand before the party.
“... but many people are coming to me not only from my constituency, but from everywhere and ask me why I can’t be the chief minister despite being the senior most. On the people’s demand and on my seniority, I will keep forward my claim to be the CM,” he added.
The former home minister said that if the government and the party chooses him for the top post, he will change the face of Haryana.
When pointed out that Saini has already been declared the chief ministerial candidate, Vij said, “There is no bar on staking the claim. I will make my claim, let the party take a call.”
“Whether the party makes me or not, it is up to them. But if they make me CM, I will change Haryana’s ‘takdeer and tasveer’ (destiny and face of Haryana),” the Ambala Cantt MLA said.
The BJP leader is re-contesting from the seat in the ongoing elections and has filed nominations for the record ninth time this week.
Reacting to the development, BJP’s state election in-charge and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “He must have said this as a party worker, but BJP’s CM face is Nayab Singh Saini.”
This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed his first rally in the state in the presence of 23 BJP candidates from the northern belt, including Vij.
However, Union Home minister Amit Shah has already named sitting chief minister Saini to be the face of party in the state and the next CM.
Modi too, during his rally, sought votes for Saini and the BJP to form government in the state for the third time.
Vij was at the forefront of a rebellion against his own government, when former CM Manohar Lal Khattar was replaced with Saini in March.
The Ambala Cantt MLA, who was once one of the most-powerful ministers in the cabinet, chose to skip oath as a minister “out of anger for not being informed about the change in guard as the senior-most party leader”.
Just a week ago, another senior leader and Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh also made a similar statement and said that people wish him to be the CM, but as the party has declared Saini as the CM, they should follow the decision.
--With PTI inputs
