SHIMLA: Ending all speculations, BJP Legislature Party today elected former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur as the leader of the opposition in the Vidhan Sabha on Sunday. His election as the leader of opposition came contrary to perceptions in BJP circles that Jai Ram Thakur has lost his hold in BJP as the people of Himachal have rejected his rule from 2017-2022 by voting his government out of power.
The Voters gave mandate to the Congress which won 40 seats out of 68 seats, reducing BJP to dismal 25.
In fact, BJP lost 43 seats as three independents have also joined the Congress, keeping BJP in opposition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National President Jagat Prakash Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah including the Sangh Parivar had put all their might and resources to bring back the Jai Ram Thakur government to power, but the voters showed BJP the door.
Even then, Jai Ram Thakur maintained his hold in the party and became leader of opposition.
There were talks that Satpal Satti or Vipin Parmar could be the leader of opposition.
Talking to the media, BJP National Minister Vinod Tawde, who was an observer said Jairam Thakur has been selected as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party in the Legislature Party meeting held here on Sunday
BJP state president Suresh Kashyap, BJP in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna, co-in-charge Sanjay Tandon and Mangal Pandey were present in the meeting.
He said Thakur's name was proposed by all 24 MLAs including Vipin Parmar, Satpal Satti, Balbir Verma, Dr. Janak Raj.
Pandey claimed Jairam Thakur did good work while in the state government. Under his supervision BJP would face the Congress Government in the Vidhan Sabha, he added.
BJP MLAs later submitted memorandum to the governor charging that the functioning of the present Congress government is motivated by the spirit of revenge and political vendetta.
BJP charged that the state government has passed orders to close the government institutions which were opened by the former BJP government.
Congress government should have taken forward the works of the previous BJP government and worked for the development of the state.
But Congress government has been working against the public interest to fulfill its political wishes, BJP charged. The BJP will launch a mass movement in the entire state against these decisions, BJP memorandum stated.