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Aiming hat-trick, Vij fights alone

AMBALA: “I have done work and will continue doing it.

Aiming hat-trick, Vij fights alone

Anil Vij



Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Ambala, October 20

“I have done work and will continue doing it.” With this pet slogan on his tongue, BJP veteran Anil Vij is fighting his poll battle alone.

No national or state leader of the party has campaigned for him in Ambala Cantonment, where he is contesting his eighth election.

The firebrand leader has not attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar or any other prominent BJP leader’s rallies in Assembly segments nearby.

Vij is aiming for a hat-trick this time. In the seven elections fought so far, he has won five times, but never thrice in a row.

A former SBI employee, he was associated with the saffron party since his school days when he became general secretary of the ABVP in 1970. After his first election victory in 1990, Vij won in 1996, 2000, 2009 and 2014. He lost in 1991 and 2005.

“My work speaks for itself. Ambala Cantonment is my home and its people are my family. I am fully confident of getting re-elected. There is no opposition or challenge. People put a stamp on my work during the Lok Sabha poll,” he said.

This time, the BJP veteran is facing a challenge from two women first-timers — Chitra Sarwara and Venu Singla Aggarwal. Denied the party ticket, Chitra is contesting as an Independent against Congress candidate Venu.

“With the public feeling cheated and dejected under BJP rule, I am putting up strong opposition to Vij. He served the constituency for 25 years, but failed to solve perennial public problems,” Chitra said.

Missed PM’s rally 

Anil Vij was conspicuous by his absence during the rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Thanesar in Kurukshetra district on October 15. His aide had said the Ambala Cantonment legislator was ill at that time.

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