SHIMLA: BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda, who is on a four-day long tour of Himachal Pradesh to test its political pitch, ruled out any change in the state leadership saying that there is a perfect coordination between the state government and the party workers and BJP would change "tradition" this time by accomplishing the “mission repeat in the coming state assembly elections”.

Addressing the press conference here today after he chaired rounds of meetings with the state BJP’s  core group,  concillors of the Shimla municipal corporation and party officer bearers,  Nadda reiterated that the double engine government of state and centre is doing very well and the party has launched maha samelan to reach out to the booth workers to get their feedback and taking policies and programmes of the government to the people across the state.

As a matter of fact, Nadda is on four days long tour of his home state after over six months. Nadda is testing the political pitch of the state and had a series of meetings with the BJP leaders and councillors and would hold another rounds of tours and meetings with booth level workers in Bilaspur and inspect his pet projects- AIIMS Bilaspur and  Hydroengineering college in his home district in the next two days.   

Nadda said BJP changed the tradition in Uttarakhand, Manipur and UP elections and would do the same in Himachal as well.

On the question that former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had sought probe in the circumstances leading to his defeat in 2017 elections and Uttarakhand’s  Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s case, who also lost the last election, but he was made Chief Minister, Nadda said, “The party is  aware of it. But these are two different situations. The party sees “pro and cons” of every situation before taking a call on it”.

When asked to comment on Aam Aadmi Party’s historic victory in Punjab, its chief Arvind Kejriwal’s road show in Mandi and its decision to contest state assembly polls on 68 seats in Himachal this year, Nadda said the AAP candidates in 377 seats they had contested in last state assembly elections,  lost their deposits.  “But BJP is aware about it and takes every election seriously. In Punjab, it will face fight with the BJP in next elections”, he asserted.

On old pension scheme that had kicked up a major political storm during the last session of Vidhan sabha when employees slogan, “Jauya Mama Manda Nahin, purani pension, landa nahin.. ” , referring to Chief Minister  Jai Ram Thakur as Jauya Mama, went viral on social media, Nadda  did not clear the air and side- stepped the query.

Nadda reiterated that the double engine central government under Prime Minister Narender Modi and the state government under Jai Ram Thakur had protected the interests of Himachal whereas the previous Congress government had failed. BJP restored special category status of Himachal and brough in funds and projects completed Rohtang tunnel, set up Highways, Shimla Smart city mission with projects over Rs 400 crore underway in the capital city.  

Later in the day Nadda had a meeting with all the 2017 candidates of Shimla Municipal Corporation, which is going to polls in the next two months time.

BJP state president Suresh Kashyap, national vice president Saudan Singh, in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna, co-in-charge Sanjay Tandon, organization minister Pawan Rana, minister Suresh Bhardwaj and general secretary Trilok Jamwal were present with him. In the meeting, Jagat Prakash Nadda also took feedback from all the councilors regarding Municipal Corporation Shimla.
Giving election tips to the councilors, Nadda said that the Municipal Corporation will once again hoist the flag of BJP in Shimla, double engine government is running in the entire state and it is getting big benefits in Shimla too.  Good work has been done under Smart City in Shimla and all-round work has been done in the city during BJP's tenure. “Our victory is certain”, Nadda claimed.
BJP in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna said that BJP is a strong political organization, they can face the biggest challenge with unity. “A good work has been done by our councilors in the upcoming municipal elections, it is going to be of great benefit to the BJP”, he added.  “We will retain the Municipal Corporation Shimla”.
Sanjay Tandon said the guidance of party president JP Nadda is inspiring for all the workers and it will be of great benefit to the organization. “The BJP has worked in the municipal corporation with transparency and the public knows it”, he added.

Ironically when Nadda had meeting with the booth workers he was dismayed to know in presence of BJP President Suresh Kashyap that they did not have the calendar of mahaSamelan that the party has launched this month long campaign at the booth level.  Nadda  however boost their morale and asked them to be pro-active and leave no stone unturned for the elections, the party workers said.