Bindal assumes charge as Himachal BJP chief, says no infighting in party

Dr Rajiv Bindal assumes office as the state BJP chief, saying there is no infighting and BJP workers are working to win the Shimla municipal corporation poll on May 2. Bindal plans to work with senior leaders and workers to ensure BJP's victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

A day after his re-appointment as the state BJP chief, Dr Rajiv Bindal assumed the office here on Monday. He said there wasn’t any infighting in the party and the BJP workers was working to win the Shimla municipal corporation poll due on May 2.

Former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and ex-BJP state chief Suresh Kashyap welcome BJP state chief Rajeev Bindal on his arrival at the BJP state office in Shimla on Monday. (Deepak Sansta/HT)

When asked about the change in the party amidst the MC election, he said when the war is on, nobody is the commander.

BJP’s leader of Opposition in the House and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, Shimla Lok Sabha member and Bindal’s predecessor Suresh Kashyap and other leaders had released a three-page manifesto for the election, on Sunday hours before the party appointed Bindal.

“The strategy for the MC poll 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,

Rolling out his 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.

Bindal was given a rousing welcome at the state party headquarters.

He expressed his gratitude to the party high command for reposing faith in him.

In his address, Bindal mentioned all prominent state BJP leaders, including former CM Shanta Kumar, PK Dhumal, and Union minister Anurag Thakur and lauded the achievements of Jai Ram Thakur and former state president Suresh Kashyap.

An ayurveda practitioner 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 CM PK Dhumal from 2007 to 2012. He lost from the Nahan assembly constituency in the November 2022 state assembly polls.