Amit Shah Steps In as BJP Faces Internal Challenges Ahead of Haryana Assembly Election

Amit Shah Steps In as BJP Faces Internal Challenges Ahead of Haryana Assembly Election

Saptrishi Soni:
As the Congress grapples with a string of losses in Haryana Assembly elections, facing criticism nationwide, the BJP, despite winning three consecutive terms, is not without its own internal challenges. These challenges are emerging from within the party itself, prompting Union Home Minister Amit Shah to personally intervene. Shah, along with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, has been appointed by the BJP’s Parliamentary Board as an observer for the upcoming meeting of the Haryana BJP legislature on October 16.

Amit Shah’s involvement in this key meeting has sparked discussions in political circles, as it marks a departure from his usual practice of issuing directives from Delhi. Typically, BJP leaders serve as observers at state legislature meetings, but Shah’s presence has fueled speculation about the internal dynamics within the Haryana BJP. This comes despite Shah’s earlier announcement in Panchkula that incumbent Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini would be the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the upcoming elections. With Saini already declared as the candidate, the question arises: why is there a need for this high-level deliberation?

The answer lies in the fact that, despite Shah’s declaration, several senior BJP leaders have not given up their own aspirations for the top post. The most prominent among them are Rao Inderjit Singh, a six-time MP and Union Minister from the Ahirwal region, and Anil Vij, a senior BJP leader known for his tough stance, often referred to as “Gabbar” by his supporters. Vij, who secured his seventh consecutive Assembly win, is also eyeing the chief minister’s chair.

In 2009, Anil Vij was the leader of the Haryana BJP legislature and was a strong contender for the chief minister’s post when the party first came to power in 2014. However, the position ultimately went to Manohar Lal Khattar, who was a first-time MLA at the time. Vij accepted the decision, but when Khattar was replaced by Naib Singh Saini as chief minister on March 12 of this year, Vij’s patience ran thin.

During the crucial legislature meeting after Khattar’s resignation, Vij made his displeasure known. Attended by former Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, BJP General Secretary Tarun Chugh, and Haryana BJP in-charge Viplav Deb as observers, the meeting saw tempers flare when Saini’s name was proposed for the top post. Frustrated, Vij left the meeting midway and returned to Ambala, causing embarrassment to the party. It took considerable effort from party leaders to placate him, and eventually, Vij softened his stance. However, as the elections approach, he has once again staked his claim to the chief minister’s post, creating ripples within the BJP and forcing the central leadership to address the issue publicly.

The internal friction within the party has added complexity to the BJP’s election strategy, with Shah’s intervention seen as a move to ensure unity ahead of the critical polls.

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