Nadda gets rousing welcome in Shimla, says BJP will form govt in Himachal, Gujarat

Shimla: Arriving in Shimla, first time after the party's victory in four states, BJP national president J P Nadda got a rousing welcome in his home state, which he claimed will be creating its own history by repeating the government to replicate UP, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur poll win.

As his three-day visit to Himachal Pradesh comes close on the heels of AAP bid to mark its footfall in the hill state, Nadda gave full marks to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for creating new records of development, and new initiatives.

"Jai Ram Thakur ji is a gentle–less in speaking and more in action. He has proved himself to be a great deliverer. The BJP is heading towards a great victory in the next Assembly polls under him by the end of the year. I and Anurag Thakur (union minister for information and Broadcasting stand strongly with him as his leaders in the Centre," he declared at a rally of BJP workers held at Hotel Peterhoff lawns.

His roadshow, which started from state Assembly chowk upto Peterhoff, was a huge draw as women performed 'nati'–a traditional Pahari dance to beating of drums and slogans "Nadda ji ko Jai shree Ram, Nadda ji tum agae Bado, hum tumahare sath hain."

Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, BJP national vice-president Soudan Singh, State BJP president Suresh Kashyap and cabinet ministers were with Nadda as he rode an open jeep for the roadshow. The town has already been decorated in saffron colour with flags, buntings and hoardings all over the places greeting Nadda on his arrival with victory in the four states.

With Shimla Municipal Corporation also slated to witness elections in May 2022, the BJP did not leave any opportunity to put up a great show of strength even as Nadda held a series of meeting with party MLAs, core group and party's frontal organisations besides party office-bearers to put them on election mode, backed by the high command.

It was the first time that BJP had won the Shimla Municipal Corporation poll in 2017.Retaining the civic body of the state capital is going to be a crucial test for the BJP and could impact the next Assembly polls.

"We are in full election mode. The state government has performed well during four years under Jai Ram Thakur, with double vigour during the Covid also. After, we have created a history of sorts in UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa– where the government never returned to power, next on agenda is Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh," he declared.

Nadda listed out major development projects implemented by the state, which he reminded Rs 1400 crore AIIMS Bilaspur, 3 trauma centres, 100 per cent vaccination of eligible population, smart city project as Prime Minister Narendra Modi also created global history to deal with Covid, apart from launching of India's biggest vaccination drive with locally produced vaccines. He also spoke about state's industrial development and upcoming Bulk drug park, a project awaiting the Centre's green signal.

He took a jibe at the Congress saying "the people standing before us have no power, no policy, no rules, no program. But ,BJP has leadership, ideology, policies, programmes and a mission."

He also did not spare AAP.

"In Uttarakhand, 68 out of 70 posts of AAP have forfeited its security deposits. The Congress also fielded its candidates on 389 seats and AAP 377 in these states, which witnessed polls. All lost security deposits," he said.

The national BJP president also handed over name plates to the Booth Palaks under the 'Chale Booth Ki Ore-Bade Jeet Ki Ore' as the party's state wide campaign in run-up to the polls.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said it was only the BJP where a common party worker can rise to the topmost position in the party, whereas all the other political parties are headed by families. The state was fortunate that despite being a small State, Himachal Pradesh not only has a national president from the State, but also a dynamic Union Minister in the form of Anurag Singh Thakur who is holding a very important portfolio of Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports.

Anurag Thakur said "after chauka in four states, the BJP will give a sixer winning Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat".