BJP’s Anil Vij trails against Congress’ Parvinder Pal Pari in Ambala Cantt

BJP veteran Anil Vij is up against Congress rebel Chitra Sarwara and Congress’ Parvinder Pal Pari in the assembly elections in the Ambala Cantt constituency. The six-time legislator is confident that he will sail through easily to victory. According to early trend, the BJP leader is trailing behind Congress’ Parvinder Pal Pari. (Also read: Election Results 2024 LIVE: Congress crosses halfway mark in Haryana, BJP leads in J&K)
Born on March 15, 1953, in Ambala Cantt, Anil Vij has been a prominent figure in Haryana politics for decades. He has served as a cabinet minister in the state government multiple times, handling key portfolios like health and medical education.
Anil Vij’s political journey started in 1990 when he won a by-election from the Ambala Cantonment constituency. He has since been elected six times from the same constituency, solidifying his position as a strong BJP leader in Haryana. Vij has also held various positions within the BJP, including State President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.
Contesting for the seventh time from the constituency, Anil Vij said that the BJP will return to govern Haryana with a full majority. He is confident that he will win Ambala Cantt off the good work he has done.
“I am seeking votes based on works done in the Ambala Cantt. Our slogan is ‘kaam kiya hai, kaam karenge’. ‘Kaam ki rajneeti aur baton ki rajneeti k beech election hai. (We have done work and will do work in the future too. This election is between politics of work and politics of mere talk. We have work to show, while others merely talk),” he told news agency PTI ahead of polling in the state which was held on October 5.
The former Haryana minister recently sparked a controversy when he said he would stake claim to the chief minister’s post if the party returns to power in Haryana. The BJP, however, scuttled his bid, saying Nayab Singh Saini will remain the chief minister.
Vij is one of the 11 candidates contesting from Ambala Cantt. His main rivals this time are Congress leader Parvinder Pal Pari and Congress rebel Chitra Sarwara.
Chitra Sarwara is the daughter of former minister Nirmal Singh, who is contesting as a Congress candidate from adjoining Ambala City constituency.
She was suspended by the Congress last week for anti-party activities after she filed her nomination as an Independent.
In the 2014 Haryana assembly elections too, Sarwara had contested from Ambala Cantonment as an Independent after being denied a ticket by the Congress. She had lost the contest to Anil Vij.
Ambala Cantonment Assembly constituency is one of the 90 assembly seats of Haryana. It will go to polls on October 5. The geographically significant Ambala Cantt is located 200 kilometres north of Delhi., the national capital and 55 kilometres southwest of Chandigarh, the state capital.
A part of Ambala district, the assembly constituency is currently held by former Haryana home minister Anil Vij. The Ambala cantonment was established in 1843 and has been recognised as a centre for the manufacturing of scientific and surgical instruments since then.
Ambala Cantt constituency has been a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in recent years with a total population of 55,370, as per the 2011 census.