Chandigarh: Ruling BJP’s senior most MLA and former home minister, Anil Vij, 71, faces a stiff multi-corner contest in Ambala Cantonment, his home turf, in the upcoming October 5 state assembly elections.
A six-time legislator, Vij, who has also been one of the most powerful ministers in the chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, had independent charge of home affairs, health, sports, medical education and science and technology. He also effectively and sternly handled the 2023 Nuh communal clashes.
Vij, a Punjabi, who had repeated run-ins with Khattar, also a Punjabi, however, stayed away from the incumbent Nayab Saini Cabinet, reportedly, for being side-lined by the party, despite having won for a record six times – 1990, 1996, 2000, 2009, 2014 and 2019. His hopes have further been dashed after BJP recently announced that Nayab Saini would remain the chief minister if BJP comes to power for the third consecutive term.
Pertinently, Vij was also not accompanied by any of the senior party leaders when he filed his nomination papers for this election.
Though Vij has a substantial backing in the constituency, he has also seen protests by farmers during his campaign and the ongoing strong anti-incumbency wave against the BJP – which has been in power since 2014 - could also cause a dent in his vote-base.
Ambala, Haryana: Former Home Minister and BJP leader Anil Vij says, "They are just clay lions, what do you keep celebrating? If you want to celebrate, do it at home. When you forcibly bring Hooda and Selja together on stage, it indicates that there is something going on" pic.twitter.com/dXd39OhXkA
— IANS (@ians_india) October 2, 2024
Vij faces a stiff fight from Congress rebel Chitra Sarwara, who is contesting as an independent after being denied the party ticket. She had lost to Vij by a margin of about 20,000 votes and finished second in the 2019 assembly. Electoral support by her father Nirmal Singh, a senior Congress leader who is contesting from Ambala City seat, would also give an effective fillip to her fight.
Besides, Congress has fielded Parvinder Singh Pari, a local leader, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Onkar Singh, INLD’s splinter outfit Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has fielded Avtar Kardhan and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded Raj Kaur Gill. While the INLD has stitched an alliance with BSP, the JJP has an alliance with Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram).
The constituency which has about 40,000 Punjabi votes, 30,000 Brahmin, 25,000 Baniya, 55,000 OBC and about 20,000 votes of Jats/Sikh Jat, can upset the poll equations for Vij if get split among candidates in the wake of strong anti-incumbency wave and the unrelenting farmers ire.
SEAT PROFILE:
TOTAL VOTERS: 2,06,271
MALE: 1,07,608
FEMALE: 98,652
THIRD GENDER: 11