Chandigarh: Haryana’s former Home Minister and BJP candidate Anil Vij on Saturday mocked the Congress list of candidates for the October 5 Assembly polls, saying the party has chosen candidates who 'are facing criminal cases and this reflects their mindset'.
Five-time legislator Vij told the media in Ambala that the Congress has given tickets even to people facing legal cases. “The Congress seems to prefer candidates who are likely to go to jail, ” he said, highlighting that Surendra Pawar, who is in jail, has been given a ticket. This, according to Vij, reveals Congress' thought process.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested legislator Panwar in July in an “illegal” mining-linked money-laundering case.
Vij said recently the ED attached properties belonging to Bhupinder Hooda, yet he has also been given a ticket, further showcasing the Congress’s mentality.
He said more “questionable candidates” might emerge from the rest of the list of the candidates.
Commenting on the alliance between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Vij said there “is still some uncertainty”. He said Rahul Gandhi had asked AAP to provide candidates as the Congress is running short.
Regarding AAP's decision to contest 50 seats, Vij said, “It’s a democracy, and anyone can run in elections”.
Earlier, Vij claimed victory of the BJP in polls, saying, “The regional parties are now finished and the contest is only with the Congress, and we will easily defeat the Congress because they have committed so many sins.”
Vij also slammed Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda, saying he should know that Punjabis were not displaced, but they were part of India.
Advising Hooda, Vij said, “You need to change your mindset. Even after 70 years, you are still calling these people displaced because you do not want to accept them.”
Former Health Minister and outspoken Vij registered victory in the 2019 Assembly polls from his stronghold Ambala Cantonment by defeating his rival Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara.
He defeated Sarwara by a margin of 20, 165 votes. He’s been a five-term MLA since 1990.