Himachal CM Jairam Thakur Scoffs At Rumours Of Leadership Change In State

Scoffing at rumours of leadership change in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Jairam thakur on Tuesday said, “Let me be very clear, in 2022 I will be in the same place, where I am today.”

Thakur returned to Shimla today after a two-day visit to Delhi, where he met Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda.

Thakur said his visit was not linked to any impending developments in the state and that he discussed new developmental projects and apprised the central leadership of Himachal’s Covid situation.

Responding to rumours about change in state leadership ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, Thakur said, “Speculations are rife about political changes in Himachal on the lines of what happened in Uttarakhand a few months back. But let me be very clear, in 2022 I will be in the same place, where I am today.”

This is the first time the chief minister has stated in public that he will helm the Himachal BJP unit during the upcoming Assembly polls.

However, before the Assembly polls, Thakur will have to prove his mettle during the three upcoming bypolls scheduled in the state. Polls are due in the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency and in two Assembly constituencies Jubbal and Kotkhai. During his trip to Delhi, Thakur is understood to have discussed possible candidates for these seats.

Previously, the BJP won elections in four Lok Sabha seats and two byelections held at Dharamshala and Rajgarh. However, the saffron party suffered a major blow in the municipal corporation polls in April as Congress won Palampur and Solan urban local bodies-- two of the four seats for which elections were held.