Ahead of Shimla civic body polls, Rajiv Bindal assumes charge as Himachal BJP chief

Shimla: BJP leader Rajiv Bindal assumed charge as the new Himachal Pradesh party chief on Monday, with the civic body polls in the state capital round the corner.

The Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) elections, scheduled for May 2, will be a litmus test for the newly appointed state party president, who assured to work hard for the party's victory.

"The strategy for the SMC polls has already been finalised and BJP leaders Srikant Sharma and Sukh Ram Chaudhary are doing a good job. I will work in seven corporation wards allotted to me," said Bindal, who replaced Suresh Kashyap to become the state party chief.

Sharing his further plans for the party, Bindal said he would work in tandem with the senior leaders and party workers to ensure the BJP's victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"We are ready for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. We will highlight the achievements of the Modi government and previous Jai Ram government, besides exposing failures and negative approach of the Congress government," he added.

Bindal was welcomed with drum beats as he arrived at the BJP office here to take charge as the state president.

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda, the newly appointed state chief said, "I am grateful to the BJP High Command for reimposing trust in me and giving me this responsibility." In his address, Bindal mentioned all prominent state BJP leaders, including former chief Minister Shanta Kumar, P K Dhumal, and Union Minister Anurag Thakur and lauded the achievements of Jai Ram Thakur and former state president Suresh Kashyap.

A doctor by profession, former state president and former Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Bindal is a five-time MLA.

He served as the state's health minister during the tenure of former chief minister P K Dhumal from 2007 to 2012. He lost from Nahan assembly constituency in the last state assembly polls held in November 2022.

Earlier, he was elected as the BJP state president in January, 2020 but resigned shortly in May, 2020.