'BJP's CM Face in Haryana Is...': Dharmendra Pradhan On Anil Vij Staking Claim To Chief Minister's Post

Dharmendra Pradhan has confirmed that Nayab Singh Saini is the BJP's chief ministerial candidate for Haryana, dismissing Anil Vij's claim

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has made it clear that Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is the chief ministerial (CM) candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state and asserted that the party will score a hattrick of victory in the state under his leadership. The statement from Pradhan, the BJP's in-charge for the 2024 Haryana election, came after the party's senior leader Anil Vij said he would stake claim for the CM's post if the party returns to power after the October 5 polls.

"Being a party worker he may have said so but Nayab Singh Saini is the BJP's CM face," The Union Education Minister told reporters in Karnal when asked about Vij's comment.

Pradhan extruded confidence that BJP will score a "hattrick" by emerging victorious in Haryana assembly polls and said, "Looking at the track record of the last 10 years, we will get a chance to serve in Haryana again."

What Anil Vij Said?

On Sunday, six-time MLA and former minister Vij said he would stake a claim for the CM's post due to his seniority, and the party will take a call. "I never sought anything from the party till today... people from Haryana are coming to meet me. Even in Ambala, people tell me that I am the senior-most, so why did I not become the CM. On the people's demand and on the basis of seniority, this time I will stake claim to become chief minister," he said, according to news agency PTI.

When pointed out that Saini has already been declared the BJP's CM face, the 71-year-old said, "There is no bar on staking the claim. I will make my claim, let the party take a call."

"Whether the party makes me or not, it is up to them. But if they make me CM, I will change Haryana's 'takdeer and tasveer' (destiny and face of Haryana)," the Ambala Cantt MLA said.

BJP In Haryana

In March this year, Saini was sworn in as chief minister replacing Manohar Lal Khattar, BJP's first Chief Minister in Haryana after the saffron party called off its alliance with Dushyant Chautala's JJP. Khattar was then fielded from the Karnal parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha elections, which he won and was inducted as a minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Vij, meanwhile, was dropped from the Haryana Cabinet after Saini was sworn in as CM.