BJP issues show cause notice to Haryana minister Anil Vij for taking swipe at CM

Chandigarh: The BJP on Monday issued a show cause notice to Haryana minister Anil Vij over his repeated targeting of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and state unit chief Mohan Lal Badoli.

"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," Haryana BJP chief Badoli said in the notice in Hindi.

Badoli said the notice to Vij was being issued according to the instructions of the BJP national president.

"We expect you to give a written explanation on this subject within 3 days," it mentioned.

In the show cause notice, Vij was told that his "move is not only against the ideology of the party but it has also come at a time when the party was campaigning for elections in a neighbouring state (Delhi)."

"During election time, while holding a respected ministerial position, you have made these statements knowing that they will harm the image of the party. This is completely unacceptable," the notice mentioned.

Vij, 71, the seven-time MLA from the Ambala Cantonment, had been consistently targeting Saini. The chief minister, however, sought to play down the issue, claiming that the energy and transport minister was not upset and as a senior party leader, he 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." On January 30, Vij had expressed strong displeasure over officials not complying with his orders and said for the sake of his Ambala Cantt constituents, he is prepared to go on a fast unto death like farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.

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

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

In a related development, the Himachal Pradesh Police filed a cancellation report in a court recently in the alleged gangrape case against Badoli and Mittal.

Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh said the cancellation report was filed in court recently as no truth was found in the allegations and due to lack of evidence.

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

When the BJP came to power in Haryana for the first time on its own strength in 2014, Vij along with a few other BJP leaders, including Ram Bilas Sharma, was one of the frontrunners for the CM's post, but the party went with Khattar, a first-time MLA then, as its choice.

In March 2024, Vij was said to be upset with the BJP for not keeping him in the loop when the party decided to replace Khattar as the chief minister and bring Saini in his place.

Vij had then said he came to know about it only in the BJP MLAs' meeting in Chandigarh in which Saini's name was announced. In September 2024, days before the Assembly polls in October, Vij had said he would stake claim to the chief minister's post if the party came to power.