Anil Vij submits reply to BJP's show cause notice

Ambala: Haryana minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said he has submitted his reply to the show cause notice issued to him by the BJP for alleged breach of party discipline by his remarks targeting Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and state unit chief Mohan Lal Badoli.

The notice was issued to the 71-year-old Vij on Monday on the instructions of the BJP national president and the party had sought a written reply from the minister within three days, Badoli said.

Vij, the energy and transport minister, submitted his eight-page reply to the notice on Tuesday night.

Speaking to reporters, Vij said he was in Bengaluru for three days and returned Tuesday evening.

"Before the deadline, I have submitted my reply. In my reply, I mentioned that if they (party) need an answer to anything else, I will give that too," he said.

When asked if he can share with the media what he has submitted in his reply, Vij quipped, "it (the reply) has been sent in a sealed envelope and cannot be disclosed in public."

To another question, Vij, while referring to the show cause notice to him by the party, said, "How that came in the media, this needs to be probed. How a secret communication got leaked before the media, if party wants, they should get it probed."

Vij said even before he received copy of the notice he came to know about it through the media.

In the notice issued to Vij on Monday, Badoli said, "It is informed that you have recently made public statements against the party (state) president (Badoli) and the chief minister's post. These are serious allegations and are against the party's policy and internal discipline".

"We expect you to give a written explanation on this subject within three days," it mentioned.

The seven-time MLA from Ambala Cantonment had recently taken a swipe at Saini. The chief minister, however, had sought to play down the issue, saying that Vij being a senior, had the right to say what he feels.

Last week, Vij shared some pictures, claiming that "workers" seen with a "friend" of Saini were also seen with an Independent candidate whom he defeated in the state assembly polls in 2024.

Vij had won the October Assembly polls from his Ambala Cantt constituency and became MLA for the seventh time after defeating independent candidate Chitra Sarwara.

On January 31, Vij said it had been more than 100 days since he publicly raised the issue of those, including officials, who played a "role" in trying to defeat him in the polls but no action was taken against them.

Vij had taken a dig at Saini, saying, "Since assuming office, he (Saini) has been on an 'udan khatola' (chopper). If he comes down, he will see the suffering of the people."

Earlier, Vij said Badoli should resign as the state BJP chief after being booked in an alleged rape case to maintain the "sanctity" of the party till he was found to be innocent in the Himachal Pradesh police investigation.

Last week, six people, including a woman, who had accused Badoli and singer Rocky Mittal of rape, were booked for extortion and criminal intimidation.

The Himachal Pradesh Police filed a cancellation report in a court recently in the alleged gangrape case against Badoli and Mittal.

Vij had earlier also often remained at loggerheads with the previous BJP government led by M L Khattar. Khattar is now a Union Minister.