Upstaging others including Prem Kumar Dhumal and Union Health & Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda, 52-year old low-profile BJP legislator Jai Ram Thakur is to take over as the next chief-minister of Himachal Pradesh. Thakur replaces Congress’ out-going chief-minister Virbhadra Singh.

The tug-of-war among BJP leaders to elect a new MLA came to an end with the election of Thakur, a 5-time MLA from Seraj in Mandi District in the State, as the next chief-minister who would be administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Acharya Dev Vrat on Wednesday (27th December) in the presence of frontline BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP wrested Himachal Pradesh from the Congress during last month’s Assembly polls. Votes were counted only last week. Winning 44 out of the 68 seats, the BJP had one blemish with its chief-ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal losing the polls thus setting off a leadership crisis.  Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and senior BJP leader Narendra Tomar were assigned the responsibility of election a new CM.

The duo held discussions with the newly-elected MLAs for two days on 21-22 December even as Dhumal’s supporters wanted Dhumal to be made the chief-minister notwithstanding the reverse he suffered in the polls. Union Health & Family Welfare minister J.P. Nadda, Shimla MLA Suresh Bhardwaj and five-time MLA from Seraj Jai Ram Thakur were also in the fray to become the next chief-minister.

After Dhumal was convinced by the party’s top brass to opt out of the fray, the BJPMLAs met in Shimla yesterday to elect a new floor leader.  Suresh Bhardwaj and Mahender Singh proposed Thakur’s name as the next chief-minister and others econded his name, thus making Thakur’s election official. Thakur will take over on Wednesday in the presence of a batter of top-level Central leaders of the party.

Thakur also becomes the first leader from Mandi District to head the State.  His wife Sadhana is a doctor by profession.