Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday claimed that Energy and Transport Minister Anil Vij is not upset with him, adding he is a senior party leader and has the right to say.
Saini's reaction came amid Vij consistently taking swipes at him in the past few days.
Vij had earlier claimed that no action was taken against those who played a "role" in trying to defeat him in the 2024 assembly elections from the Ambala Cantt seat.
Vij had also alleged that he suspected that with the blessings of a big political leader, an attempt was made to defeat him in the assembly polls last year. Asked whether Vij is upset, Saini said there is no 'narazgi'.
"We were together in the cabinet (meeting on Tuesday). We also held a review meeting of a department," said Saini while speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting.
Told that Vij's statements indicate that he is upset, Saini said, "He is our senior leader. There is no narazgi... He has the right to say," said Saini.
Asked if Vij was of the view that officers were not listening to him, Saini said, "It is not like this. All officers obey.
"Everybody has responsibilities. I have and officers also have," Saini said.
On Monday, Vij, a seven-time MLA, shared some pictures, claiming that "workers" seen with a "friend" of Saini were also seen with an Independent candidate whom he defeated in the state assembly polls last year.
Vij had won the October Assembly polls from his Ambala Cantt constituency. He became an MLA after defeating Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara.
On January 31, Vij said it had been more than 100 days since he publicly raised the issue of those including officials who played a "role" in trying to defeat him in elections but no action was taken against them.
Vij had taken a dig at Saini, saying, "Since the day of assuming office, he (Saini) has been on the 'udan khatola' (chopper). If he comes down, he will see the people's suffering."
While speaking to reporters in Rohtak on Sunday, Vij had said no one can take away his seniority.
"Everything can be taken away from me but my seniority cannot be snatched. I am a seven-time MLA," Vij had said.
On January 30, Vij expressed strong displeasure over officials not complying with his orders and said for the sake of his Ambala Cantt constituents, he is prepared to go on a fast-unto-death like farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
In October, Vij had voiced frustration over the "absence" of some senior officers at a meeting he had called in Ambala. Previously, Vij had often been at odds with Manohar Lal Khattar when he was Haryana's Chief Minister. Khattar is currently serving as a Union minister.
When the BJP first came to power in Haryana in 2014, Vij, along with other BJP leaders like Ram Bilas Sharma, was considered a frontrunner for the CM's post. However, the party chose Manohar Lal Khattar, a first-time MLA at the time, as its CM candidate.
In March 2024, Vij expressed dissatisfaction with the BJP for not consulting him when the party decided to replace Khattar, a first-time MLA at the time, as its CM candidate. In March 2024, Vij expressed dissatisfaction with the BJP for not consulting him when the party decided to replace Khattar as chief minister and bring in Nayab Singh Saini.
Vij claimed he only learned about the change during a BJP MLAs' meeting in Chandigarh when Saini's name was announced.
In September 2024, just days before the Assembly elections, Vij stated that he would stake a claim for the chief minister's post if the party won.
"When Nayab Saini replaced Khattar, people asked, 'Why not Anil Vij?' Many 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,'" Vij had said in September.