The importance of Anil Vij: Why BJP cannot seem to do without the outspoken Haryana minister

Seven months ago, Vij left a party meeting in a huff over his unhappiness at Nayab Singh Saini’s elevation as CM. But despite the several rows he gets involved in, the seven-time MLA continues to remain an integral part of the party in the northern state.

Former Haryana home minister and senior BJP leader Anil Vij. (Express file photo by Jasbir Malhi)

Former Haryana home minister Anil Vij. (Express file photo by Jasbir Malhi)

Unhappy with Nayab Singh Saini being made Haryana Chief Minister earlier this year, Anil Vij walked out of a BJP legislature party meeting in a huff, got into his car, and drove back to his home in Ambala Cantonment and refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony. This was back in March and seven months down the line, Vij on October 17 took oath as a minister of the new Saini Cabinet, with the party having returned to power for a historic third straight term.

Vij’s return shows his consummate political survival skills and why he is seemingly indispensable to the BJP in Haryana despite landing both himself and the party in a spot several times in the past due to various remarks, style of functioning, and his hot-and-cold relationship with both Saini and his predecessor and current Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

BJP insiders said the key reason for the minister’s continued importance to the party was his hold on the Ambala Cantonment seat that he won seven times so far, winning four straight times since 2009. Among his voters, he has an image of a “most accessible leader who takes care of their issues”, irrespective of any department, be it the police, revenue, or urban local bodies. Known for his “on-the-spot” redress of people’s grievances, Vij used to hold regular Janata Darbars (public hearing sessions) at his home in Ambala.

A key political player in state politics for decades, Vij’s sphere of influence extends to the larger Ambala division that has 18 Assembly constituencies. Though the BJP swept the region in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, taking a lead in all 18 Assembly segments, it won only nine in the Assembly elections a few months down the line and again took the lead in only nine Assembly segments in this year’s parliamentary polls. In the recent Assembly elections, the Congress outperformed the BJP in this region, winning 12 seats while the rest went to the latter. Without Vij, it will be difficult for the BJP to break the Congress hold in this region.

Run-ins with Khattar

Vij, however, has not been someone the BJP has been able to keep in check in the past, with the root of his discontentment being his rivalry with Khattar.

In October 2023, the minister hit the headlines for directing the police top brass to suspend 372 investigating officers for not taking action on pending complaints for more than one year. More than 100 officers subsequently faced suspension. A month later, he stopped clearing files and chairing the Health Department’s meetings in protest against “interference by the chief minister’s office (CMO) officials”.

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In December 2020, Vij and Khattar were at loggerheads over the intelligence wing. Vij who held the Home portfolio insisted that besides the CM he should also receive regular briefings from state intelligence officials. Eventually, both met the party’s central leadership in Delhi and the intelligence wing of the CID went to Khattar.

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Subsequently, Vij also lost two key departments, technical education and science and technology, as both were merged with the Department of Higher Education, which came under then minister Mool Chand Sharma.

In the run-up to the Assembly polls, Vij underlined that he would stake claim to the CM post, citing his seniority. “Agli mulaqat ab Mukhyamantri awaas par hogi (I shall meet you all next at CM’s residence),” he told reporters during an interaction.

He has appeared to have softened his position since the results. “I never said that I wanted to become the CM. Rather, a few people spread lies that Anil Vij is shy of responsibility. I only said that if the party wants me to be the CM, I shall do my duty diligently. I am a committed soldier of the BJP and whatever responsibility my party will give me, I shall fulfil it,” he said.

Born on March 15, 1953, in Ambala Cantonment, Vij worked in a nationalised bank for a few years and over four decades ago shifted to politics with the help of Sushma Swaraj who twice won from Ambala Cantonment, in 1977 and 1987. In 1990, when Swaraj was elected to the Rajya Sabha, she asked Vij to resign from his bank job and contest the bypoll for the BJP. This launched Vij’s political career and the following year, he was appointed the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha’s state president.