Khimi Ram re-elected as Himachal BJP head

SHIMLA: Khimi Ram was on Wednesday formally re-elected president of the party at the meeting of the newly elected State delegates. The meeting was hurriedly called yesterday after the BJP president Nitin Gadkari cleared his name.

The election was a smooth affair as over sixty delegates proposed the name of Khimi Ram over 70 out of a total of 88 delegates were present at the meeting, Vikram Thakur, State Returning officer said.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, State incharge of organisational affairs, Satya Pal Jain, co incharge, Om Prakash Dhankad and all Ministers and CPS, barring Industries Minister Krishan Kapoor and food and supplies Minister Romesh Dhawala were present at the meeting.

Former Union Minister and BJP Vice president Shanta Kumar, who was not happy with the nomination of Khimi Ram and favoured some dynamic leader to head the party and Lok Sabha member from Kangra Dr Rajan Sushant, stayed away from the meeting and only two ministers from the biggest Kangra district, Ravinder Singh Ravi and Sarveen Chowdhary attended the meeting.

However, Shanta Kumar was elected member of National Council along with Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Mandi District BJP president, Dile Ram and Vimla Kashyap. The party spokesman, Dr Ashok Kapatia said that the consent of Shanta Kumar for election as national council member was obtained on telephone.

The BJP sought to play down the absence of Shanta Kumar and loyalists including two ministers and Kangra district president and said that they could not attend the meeting as the notice was too short and it involved eight to nine hours journey to reach Shimla.

A second time MLA, Khimi Ram who took over as president said that he would tour the entire state and meet the workers and maintain better coordination with the government. He asked the party leaders not to raise party issues in public and maintain discipline.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Satya Pal Jain also said that the choice of Khimi Ram was unanimous and all party leaders had accepted the decision of the high command.

Khimi Ram was elected state BJP Chief in July last year after the then president Jai Ram Thakur was inducted into the cabinet. At that time it was broadly that Khimi Ram who, resigned as deputy speaker of Vidhan Sabha would continue after the organisational elections but names of Forest Minister JP Nadda and party general secretary, Khushi Ram Balnatah suddenly erupted and consensus eluded the party.