In Another Haryana Shocker, BJP Drops Senior Minister Anil Vij From Cabinet

The BJP's attempt to fight anti-incumbency in Haryana, which it has ruled since 2014, has seen another big name being dropped. Anil Vij, arguably the best-known leader from the Haryana BJP after now former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, has not found a place in the new cabinet led by Nayab Singh Saini.

Five other ministers, who were part of Mr Khattar's cabinet, took oath with Mr Saini at a swiftly organised ceremony on Tuesday evening, hours after the chief minister and his entire cabinet resigned.

The omission of Mr Vij, who was the Haryana home minister, was even more surprising because there was speculation that he would be one of two deputy chief ministers appointed by the BJP after the post was vacated by Dushyant Chautala of the Jannayak Janta Party.

The senior BJP leader left the legislature party meeting, where Mr Saini was picked as the chief minister, mid-way. Sources said he was visibly angry when he left the meeting - which was also attended by central observers Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda and the party's National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh - and he skipped the swearing-in ceremony as well. 

What Next?

While Mr Khattar is likely to contest the Lok Sabha election from Kurukshetra, which will now be vacated by the new chief minister, it is unclear what the party has in mind for Mr Vij. The two leaders had differences during the nearly ten years they served together as cabinet colleagues and Mr Saini is known to be close to Khattar. 

Known for making controversial statements, Mr Vij had once said Mahatma Gandhi's image would be removed from currency notes and had also called the Taj Mahal a "beautiful graveyard". He had later apologised for the statement on Mahatma Gandhi.

In 2019, he had also hurled abuses at protesters who had surrounded his car in Ambala.

The former minister has been the MLA from the Ambala Cantonment constituency six times and has won thrice in a row since 2009.

Chief Minister Only New Face

The ministers who took oath with Mr Saini on Tuesday are JP Dalal, Moolchand Sharma, Banwari Lal, and Kanwar Pal Gurjar of the BJP and Independent MLA Ranjit Singh. All of the ministers were part of the Khattar government.

Having dropped the JJP and Mr Chautala from the government ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in a few weeks and the Assembly elections, which are expected in October, the BJP has got the support of six Independent MLAs, taking its figure to 47 - just one over the majority mark in the 90-member Assembly. Five JJP MLAs are also expected to cross over to the BJP.

None of the new entrants are, however, expected to get cabinet berths, said sources.