Jai Ram Thakur to continue as Himachal CM: Nadda

Backing Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Bharatiya Janata Party chief J.P. Nadda said on Sunday that Thakur would lead the party in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

“Jai Ram Thakur is doing work and he will continue with it in future. He will not be replaced and the BJP will contest the Assembly elections under his leadership,” said Nadda in a reply to Aam Aadmi Party’s leader Manish Sisodia’s claim that Union Minister Anurag Thakur would replace Jai Ram Thakur. Nadda also rubbished the rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle ahead of the polls. However, he added that 10-15% of sitting MLAs’ tickets will be cut in the polls.

“10-15% of sitting BJP MLAs might not get tickets in the elections. 10-15% of BJP MLAs did not get access in the UP Assembly elections, and it is likely to happen here, too,” he said.

Exuding confidence over BJP’s win, Nadda said, “We will form the government in the state once again.”

“Himachal was always neglected during the time of Congress while BJP is giving benefits of schemes to Himachal in the ratio of 90:10. The party has gained the faith of people on the basis of the development and work for the poor sections of the party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections are slated to be held this year. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won 44 seats, well past the halfway mark of 35, while the Congress got 21 and others got three seats out of a total of 68 Assembly seats.