‘Zindagi ka saath nibhata…’: BJP’s Anil Vij sings Bollywood song amid vote counting

As the BJP progress towards victory in Haryana Assembly polls amid vote counting, party leader Anil Vij on Tuesday sang, “Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya…,” a song picturised on legendary actor Dev Anand.

Also known for his singing talent, the saffron party’s firebrand leader, Vij is a six-time MLA from Ambala Cantt, is seeking re-election from the constituency.

As per the trends, initially he was trailing for some time to Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara from the constituency, but as per latest trends on Election Commission of India (ECI) website, Vij was ahead by a margin of 5,377 votes.

“Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya, har fikr ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya…,” the 71-year-old leader sang the song from the 1961 movie ‘Hum Dono’. Vij, who interacted with media persons and was seen in a good mood, told some journalists, “Your channels were showing in the morning that the Congress was leading in 70 seats and BJP in 18. This was just as the counting of postal ballots had been taken up first.”

His comment was made in a sarcastic tone as according to the ECI website, later BJP was ahead in trends over nearest rival Congress.

Although BJP had made it clear before the polls that Nayab Singh Saini will retain his post if the party wins, Vij, however, had recently thrown his hat in the ring for the chief minister’s post.

Recently, Vij, who had remained at loggerheads with former chief minister and current Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, told reporters in Ambala Cantt last week that BJP was coming to power for a third term.

When asked about his last month’s remark that he will stake claim for chief minister’s post if the party comes to power, Vij said he has always dedicated himself for the party and never asked anything.

“But when Saini replaced Khattar, people said why not Anil Vij. Many people from the state and my constituency met me regarding this.... I have always obeyed my party’s orders, but I said if the party makes me (CM) I will change Haryana’s ‘takdeer and tasveer’.

“Aur agar party nein chhaha, aapse agli mulakat mukhya mantri awas par hogi (if party wishes, then my next meeting with you—media persons-will be at the CM’s residence),” Vij had said not hiding his aspirations.

The six-time MLA’s remarks had come at a time when the party had already made it clear that Nayab Singh Saini will be the chief minister if the BJP returns to power.

Saini was also the party’s chief ministerial face in the polls.

When the BJP came to power in Haryana for the first time on its own strength in 2014, Vij along with few other BJP leaders including Ram Bilas Sharma, was frontrunner for the CM’s post, but the party went with Khattar, a first-time MLA then, as its choice.

In March, Vij was said to be upset with the BJP for not keeping him in the loop when the party decided to replace Khattar as the chief minister and bring Nayab Singh Saini in his place.

He had then said he came to know about it only in the BJP MLAs’ meeting here in which Saini’s name was announced.

Vij later also did not find a place in the cabinet led by Saini. The senior BJP leader had also kept away from Saini’s swearing-in ceremony in March.

In April, while addressing a public gathering in Ambala, Vij, without taking any names, had said, some people have made him a stranger in his party.

“Mana kuch logo ne mujhe meri party mein he begana bana diya hai, parantu kayee baar begane apno say bhi zyada kaam kar jaate hai, (It may be true that some people have made me a stranger in my party, but sometimes strangers do more work than own people),” Vij had then said.

Vij, who held the home portfolio in the Khattar government, was often at loggerheads with Khattar when he was the CM.

Vij, has in the past maintained that he is a dedicated worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party, but whatever he has to say he says it clearly.