High Command to decide on next Himachal CM: Anurag Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday said the BJP high command will take a decision on the next chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, even as his party released the first list of candidates for elections in the hill state. "Be it Himachal or any other state, the party high command takes a decision," Thakur, the Minister of Information & Broadcasting, and Sports & Youth Affairs, told reporters here when asked about the next chief minister of Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh goes for elections on November 12 when Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is hoping to return to power in the face of the challenge posed by the Congress.

The BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 62 candidates for Himachal Pradesh, fielding the chief minister from Seraj assembly seat.


The Union Minister expressed confidence in winning the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls and claimed that the opposition Congress will continue its losing streak in the elections.

"Congress had pinned hopes for success in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa but we did not see the Congress anywhere, they lost their deposits. We will see what happens here in Himachal," Thakur said.

Thakur, a Lok Sabha member from Hamirpur, said the "double engine" government in Himachal Pradesh had worked for all round development of the hill state under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"BJP will form the government by winning more seats than it had won in the previous election," he said.

Thakur also congratulated Mallikarjun Kharge on his election as the president of the Congress.

At the same time, the BJP leader also pointed out that votes were rejected in the Congress presidential poll.

"How many votes were rejected, how many votes were cast incorrectly. This also raises questions," Thakur said.