At the request of national party chairman Nadda, state BJP president Badoli issues a show-cause notice to Vij, calling his claims “unacceptable” and “against BJP’s policies and internal discipline”
In an unprecedented action, Haryana’s ruling BJP has issued a show-cause notice to its senior-most MLA and cabinet minister, Anil Vij, for his recent attacks on Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and state party president Mohan Lal Badoli.
Badoli issued a notice to Vij, 71, on Monday, requesting a response within three days. Badoli stated, “Yes, a show-cause notice was sent (to Vij). I have not received a response from him yet,” he said, adding that he would “not like to elaborate anything beyond what is contained in the notification” at this stage.
The show-cause in Hindi read: “You (Vij) have been informed that you recently made public statements against the Chief Minister and the state party president.” These are severe claims that contradict the party’s policies and internal discipline”.
The letter sent to Vij also stated: “Your action was not only contrary to the BJP’s principles, but it was also taken at a time when the party was campaigning for elections in a neighboring state (Delhi). You realized that making such views during the elections while holding a respectable ministerial position would harm the party’s image. Such a conduct is totally wrong.
According to BJP officials, Vij’s “objectionable remarks” were also reported to party national president J P Nadda, who gave him a show-cause notice.
Badoli’s warning to Vij states that “You are being issued a show-cause notice in accordance with the directions issued by the national party president.” It is expected of you to respond to this notice in writing within three days.”
Despite multiple tries, Vij could not be reached for comment.
Following the October 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, in which the incumbent BJP achieved a hat-trick and shocked the Congress, Vij has claimed that “certain forces attempted to ensure his defeat” in his Ambala Cantonment constituency, which he won by more than 7,200 votes. Vij, a seven-term MLA, now holds the portfolios of energy, transportation, and labor in the Saini cabinet.
However, since the start of Saini’s second term as CM, Vij has been furious and confrontational on a variety of topics, reprimanding bureaucrats and even issuing suspension orders against some officials for supposedly being “negligent” in their duties.
Last month, Vij attacked Saini, telling reporters, “Our CM never comes down from his flying chariot. Saini has been flying since the day he became Chief Minister. If Jesus descends to the ground, he will have heard the people’s pains. This is not only my voice, but the voice of all MLAs, MPs, and ministers.
Saini was then actively campaigning for BJP candidates in the Delhi elections, which the party also won after 27 years.
Vij then stepped up his attack on Saini and other BJP leaders. “During the Haryana elections, a prominent party leader attempted to secure my defeat, including orchestrating an attack on me. Within a week of winning the elections, I publicly addressed those who attempted to defeat me. They were officials, workers, or minor political figures. “Yet no action was taken against them,” he claimed.
Vij also canceled his “Janta Darbar” due to “non-compliance of his orders by the officials” and even threatened to stage an agitation like farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
He also confronted Badoli after a gangrape charge was filed against him and Rocky Mittal, a singer and former state BJP publicity cell chairman in Himachal Pradesh’s Kasauli. Badoli and Rocky Mittal have both dismissed such charges as “baseless”.
Vij, on the other hand, stated that “Badoli should resign from his post since the allegations against him are serious” and that he hoped “the party central leadership would take appropriate action against him”. He was the sole state BJP leader to speak out against Badoli in this affair.
On February 4, Satish Poonia, the BJP’s Haryana in-charge, met with Vij in Chandigarh following the state cabinet meeting, to which the latter arrived late.
Following his two-hour discussion with Poonia, Vij stated, “I presented my points to him (Poonia). There is nothing else I can say at this time. “All will be fine.”
