Pushkar Singh Dhami will continue as next Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, where the party swept back to power.
Dhami was on Monday was elected as leader of BJP legislative party at a meeting in Dehradun, in the presence of Central observers Rajnath Singh and Meenkshi Lekhi.
BJP Uttarakhand election in-charge Pralhad Joshi was also present in the legislative party meeting. State in-charge and national general secretary Dushyant Gautam and MPs from state also attended the meeting.
Congratulating Dhami after the legislative party meeting, Rajnath Singh said that all round development of Uttarakhand will happen under him. “Dhami left an impression by running a government for six months,” he said.
The BJP created history by becoming the only party to retain power for a second consecutive term in the state since its formation. The BJP won 47 seats out of 70 but Dhami – who was the third Chief Minister in the BJP’s rule – himself lost the poll from Khatima.
Speculation had started over Dhami’s future after defeat, but the BJP leadership has given him the responsibility to run a government for full term. On July 4, last year Dhami was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand replacing Tirath Singh Rawat, who quit as he could not get elected to the Assembly within the required time period, after succeeding Trivendra Singh Rawat.
Dhami has worked in different positions in the RSS’ students wing ABVP for many years. He also served as president of BJP youth wing in Uttarakhand for two terms.