Embarrassment for BJP? Haryana Minister Anil Vij takes veiled dig at CM Khattar

Chandigarh, Feb 16: In a remark that may cause embarrassment to the ruling BJP in Haryana, state minister Anil Vij today took a veiled dig at Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar just days after he had criticised the party over its humiliating loss in Delhi Assembly elections.

"Thank You Chief Minister For Taking Keen Interest Into My Departments. I am Relaxed," the firebrand BJP leader and Haryana's Health, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister posted on Twitter today. Vij, who was in Kerala today, was apparently upset with Khattar, who has in recent times launched many programmes and schemes pertaining to the Department handled by the former.

Notably, yesterday, Khattar had launched the state government's "Khelega Haryana-Badega Haryana" campaign at Moti Lal Nehru Sports School, Rai, in Sonepat district. While Vij was in Kerala during the National Games functions, he was apparently miffed as the posters of the campaign did not carry his pictures or even mention his name.

In another Tweet yesterday, without referring to anyone, Vij, said that he was not in politics to push the cart of the Congress party. Earlier in the day when Vij was asked to comment on this Tweet before he made another one directed at Chief Minister later, the Minister said, "what is the difference if things on the ground remain the same".

"People have rejected the Congress and punished them and we have to remember this thing," he had said over phone. For the first time, BJP formed government on its own in Haryana after the October 2014 Assembly polls. Vij, a five-time MLA and a popular face of the party in the state, was front runner for the chief minister's post. However, the BJP chose Khattar, a first-time legislator from Karnal constituency and former RSS ideologue.

In recent weeks, Vij, the Ambala Cantt MLA, has taken to Twitter to vent his feelings after his party "ignored" him for the Chief Minister's post. On the completion of 100 days in office by the Khattar government, Vij had tweeted saying some people were hell-bent on stopping him from working his way but they will not succeed. After the BJP's miserable show in the recently-held Delhi assembly polls, Vij tweeted: "If instead of importing leaders (from other parties), the BJP had concentrated on promoting its own leadership in Delhi, the party would not have faced this situation in Delhi."

PTI