Jai Ram Thakur to continue as Himachal CM, will lead BJP in upcoming assembly polls: JP Nadda

Shimla: Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda on Sunday said Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will lead the party in the upcoming assembly polls 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 leader Manish Sisodia’s claim that Union Minister Anurag Thakur will replace Jai Ram Thakur.

Nadda also rubbished the rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle ahead of polls. However, he added that 10 to 15 per cent of sitting MLAs’ tickets will be cut in the polls.

“10 to 15 per cent of sitting BJP MLAs might not get tickets in the elections. 10 to 15 per cent 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 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.

On being asked why the party’s proposed CM face in the 2017 assembly polls Prem Kumar Dhumal was not made the CM after he lost the poll from his own constituency whereas in Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya was made the Deputy CM after he lost the election from his own constituency, the BJP chief said that the party takes the decision on the basis of merit.

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

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