Haryana’s former minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Anil Vij said on Sunday that he will stake claim for the chief minister’s post if the party returns to power after the Assembly elections, reported ANI.

Soon after Vij’s statements, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP’s election in-charge in Haryana, stated that Nayab Singh Saini is the party’s chief ministerial candidate.

Vij had stated that he was the senior-most MLA of the BJP in Haryana.

“I have contested elections for six times,” he told ANI. “On the demand of people, I will claim for the designation of chief minister on the basis of my seniority this time.”

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He added: “However, it is in the hands of high command whether they will make me the chief minister. If they make me the chief minister I will change the picture of Haryana.”

Haryana will head for the polls on October 5. The counting of votes will take place on October 8, alongside that of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.

The BJP has fielded Vij from the Ambala Cantonment seat, which he has represented six times in the Assembly.

In March, the BJP had replaced Manohar Lal Khattar with Saini after snapping ties with the Jannayak Janta Party.

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Quoting unidentified sources, The Indian Express had reported that Vij was unhappy with Saini being selected as chief minister. He reportedly voted against making Saini the chief minister in the legislature party meeting.

He had skipped Saini’s swearing-in ceremony and left the meeting midway. When asked what transpired in the meeting, Vij had told media persons that those “who have come from Delhi will tell”.

Vij was among the frontrunners for the chief minister’s post after the BJP won the Haryana Assembly polls in 2014, according to reports. However, Khattar, a first-time MLA, had emerged as the party’s choice for the post and Vij was given the home ministry.