E-Paper
JP Nadda rules out change of guard after BJP debacle in Himachal byelections
BJP national president JP Nadda on Friday put to rest all speculations about a possible change of guard in Himachal after BJP debacle in byelections; he was all praise for chief minister Jai Ram Thakur
BJP national president JP Nadda on Friday put to rest all speculations about a possible change of guard in Himachal Pradesh.
“I’ve heard the speculation, but a party doesn’t function on what’s being said on social media,” Nadda said while virtually addressing the state executive meeting of the Himachal Pradesh BJP.
In his 44-minute speech, he made every attempt to boost the party’s morale. “I’m confident that party workers will put in united efforts to strengthen the BJP in the state and the Jai Ram Thakur government to ensure victory in the assembly elections,” he said.
After the BJP’s defeat in the recently held byelections, rumours were rife that the party may change its chief minister. Instead, Nadda heaped praises on the CM and his government for their performance despite the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Targets dynastic politics
During the three-day meeting of the BJP state executive, he said a roadmap would have been laid out to strengthen the party and the government.
“Today, the BJP is the only party in which a person coming from a common man’s family can become a chief minister, state party president and national president. All other parties are family-based, including the Congress. For them, the family is the party, but in the BJP, the party is the family,” he said.
Nadda said the BJP has cultural nationalism as its principle and works for the downtrodden. “I want to remind you that we are not for a position but to change the destiny of society, state and the country. Therefore, we are associated with the principle of integral-humanism. Antyodaya is our mantra and empowerment of the poorest of the poor our objective,” he said, adding Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expanded the ambit of Antyodaya with his “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Prayas”.
Become agent of change, workers told
Stressing on the self-introspection from time to time, Nadda said, every party worker should improve their competence and skill and become an agent of change in society. “Those who don’t change cannot be agents of change. When you are in a political party, you have to work hard and change with the time. It will benefit the party and the governments,” he said.
He said the BJP has grown rapidly in Himachal and has a presence in all 7,792 polling booths besides the party implemented Vistarak and e-Vistarak programmes, the model which is being now implemented across the country.
He said Himachal Pradesh has progressed in every sphere, including health, education and road transport. “Due to the benevolence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state has premiere institutes coming up, including AIIMS, Bilaspur, four medical colleges and a PGI satellite centre,” he said.
