BJP veteran Anil Vij is leading in the Ambala Cantt constituency by a margin of 6,670 votes over Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara, a Congress rebel. Vij, a six-time legislator, is facing off against Sarwara and Congress candidate Parvinder Pal Pari in the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. Confident of his victory, Vij aims for a seventh consecutive win from Ambala Cantt, citing his track record of development in the region.
Anil Vij’s Political Career
Born on March 15, 1953, in Ambala Cantt, Anil Vij has had a prominent career in Haryana politics. He began his political journey in 1990 after winning a by-election from Ambala Cantonment. Over the years, Vij has held key portfolios, including health and medical education, in the Haryana government and has served as the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. Known for his strong leadership, Vij is running for the seventh time from Ambala Cantt, confident in BJP’s return to power with a full majority.
Ahead of the polls held on October 5, Vij told PTI, “I am seeking votes based on works done in Ambala Cantt. This election is between politics of work and politics of mere talk.”
Battle for Ambala Cantt
Vij is competing against 10 other candidates in Ambala Cantt, including Congress rebel Chitra Sarwara, who was suspended from the Congress for anti-party activities after filing her nomination as an Independent. Sarwara is the daughter of former minister Nirmal Singh, who is contesting from the Ambala City constituency. Sarwara had contested against Vij in the 2014 elections as an Independent but lost.
The Ambala Cantonment Assembly constituency, located 200 kilometers north of Delhi and 55 kilometers southwest of Chandigarh, is one of Haryana’s 90 assembly seats. It has been a BJP stronghold in recent years, with a population of 55,370 according to the 2011 census. The region, established as a military cantonment in 1843, is known for manufacturing scientific and surgical instruments.
