My understanding of people’s pulse is always accurate, claims Anil Vij 

Ambala, Oct 9 (IANS) Former Haryana Home Minister and seven-time legislator Anil Vij claimed on Wednesday that his understanding of the pulse of people and assessments about the election “is always accurate”.

“I know the pulse of the people and my assessment during elections in any state is always accurate. You can check my statements since the elections started, and I said the BJP will form a government in Haryana for the third consecutive time without any coalition,” Vij told the media here, adding “Our senior leaders predicted 20, 25, or 30 seats. I maintained that our government would be formed.”

“I am immensely grateful to the people of Ambala Cantonment for making a simple person like me a legislator seven times,” Vij said.

He has won the Ambala Cantonment against Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara by a margin of 7,248 votes.

“I have fought eight elections and won seven. Lal Krishna Advani came to campaign for one election, apart from that I have never invited any star campaigner because my star campaigners are my workers.”

Vij, a veteran politician from Haryana known for his outspoken and often controversial statements, said, “In elections, workers are sent from outside, and we also had workers sent to us, but I mentioned that we don't have money to feed them.”

He said in politics there can be such strong Opposition waves against a candidate that even strong candidates get uprooted, and many have been uprooted and have not returned.

“I used to sit here (in Ambala) during elections when results were being announced, and I am still sitting here during the campaign, and I will continue to do so.”

In response to another question, he said: “I have always said this at every juncture, and several intellectual exit polls also came against us. The trends in the morning on the counting day were also against us, but I remained steadfast in my statement that the BJP government would be formed without any coalition because I live among the people and know their pulse.

“I understand what the people are saying, and my electoral assessments are better than those of many scholars.”

Responding to a question about Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's statement that people voted against the BJP in J&K and that the Haryana results were unexpected, Vij remarked, “Kharge is now elderly, he should consider retirement.”

Regarding questions about the Congress state President’s defeat, he said the public has rejected the Congress, and the biggest blow should fall on the state President, and the people have already delivered that.

Vij's political journey started in 1990 when he won a by-election from the Ambala Cantonment constituency. He has since been elected six times from the same constituency, emerging as a strong BJP leader in Haryana.