Shimla : The Himachal BJP today got a new president after eight years with the unanimous election of veteran leader and former Vidhan Sabha Speaker Dr Rajeev Bindal. Outgoing president Satpal Singh Satti held the post for eight years.
Bindal was declared as BJP president by national secretary of the party Sunil Devdhar, who was also the election co-observer. Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who was the central observer for the election, handed over the certificate to Bindal.
Rakesh Jamwal (Sundernagar MLA) from Mandi, Sukhram Chowdhary (Poanta Sahib MLA) from Shimla (Reserved), Rita Dhiman (Indora MLA) from Kangra and Rajinder Garg (Ghumarvein MLA) from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat were also elected unanimously as national council members.
About 300 members, including all elected presidents of 73 mandals and 17 organisational districts, along with party MLAs and MPs and presidents of various morchas and members from the state in the national executive and other bodies constituted the general house that endorsed Bindal’s unanimous election.
The enthusiasm of the BJP workers, who swarmed the lawns of Peterhoff — the venue of the meeting, was to be seen to be believed as they celebrated the occasion by performing “Nati” folk dance and distributing ‘ladoos’.
All senior party leaders except former Chief Ministers Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal, who could not come due to personal reasons, attended the meeting. Both Shanta Kumar and Dhumal sent messages congratulating Bindal, which were read out at the meeting.
Besides Nishank, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, his Cabinet colleagues, Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur, party affairs in-charge Mangal Pandey and outgoing president Satpal Satti were present. Bindal expressed gratitude to the central and state party leadership and workers for reposing faith in him. He said, “4S – Seva (serving the poor), Samarpan (commitment towards party), Samanvaya (coordination between different wings) and Samrastha (brotherhood) are the guiding principles for me. The party has always been supreme for me and I will make all possible efforts to serve it with full dedication and carry everyone along”.
He lauded the contribution of Satti and said that he was the backbone of the party and took initiatives such as booth management, Panna Pramukh and “Tridev” and the party won the LS polls and two byelections under his leadership with massive margin.
The CM said Bindal is an Ayurvedic doctor who could feel the pulse and cure the maladies without side-effects. He extended full support to Bindal. He added that Bindal had been given a responsibility that suited his basic nature. Pokhriyal said that Bindal had vast experience of working in the organisation and the capacity to carry everyone along.
