Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said that was a honour for the small hill state that such a huge responsibility was entrusted on a leader of the state, Jagat Prakash Nadda to lead the BJP as it’s National Working President.
Addressing the “Abhinandan Samaroh’ held at historic Luhnu Ground in Bilaspur to welcome Nadda, he said such an opportunity comes once in a life time when a leader gets chance to lead the biggest political party of the world.
Thakur thanked the people of the State for the landslide victory of the BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha Elections, adding that the party set a record in itself by winning in all the 68 assembly constituencies of the State in the Lok Sabha elections.
He said the vote share of the BJP was highest in the State in the Lok Sabha Elections and the highest victory margin in term of vote percentage was also of BJP MP Kishan Kapoor from Kangra parliamentary seat. He said it was due to this that the nation today has a strong leadership in form of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Thakur said the State Government during this period has implemented several decisions which were bound to transform the economy of the people of the State, pointing out that Jan Manch programme launched by the State Government has been appreciated even by the political opponents.
The Chief Minister said that now the State Government has launched Chief Minister Helpline-1100 for online registration and redressal of public grievances. He pointed out that AIIMS was coming up at Bilaspur which would ensure specialised health care facilities to the people of the State. Similarly, the very first decision of the State Government to lower the age limit of senior citizens for availing old-age pension without any income criteria from 80 years to 70 years have benefitted over 1.30 lakh senior citizens, he added.
In his speech, Nadda, while thanking the people of the State for according him rousing welcome during his maiden visit to the State after being made Working President of BJP, said that today the membership of BJP has increased to 17.50 crore from 11 crore in the month of July. He said the membership of BJP in the State has also increased, which shows the faith of the people in the BJP.
Nadda said that world has acknowledged the strong and able leadership of India and it was under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir, thereby paving the way for One Nation, One Constitution. He said that the present BJP Government in the State under the leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has initiated several developmental works.
Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that the BJP was poised to progress by leap and bound under the able leadership of J.P.Nadda. State BJP President Satpal Singh Satti said that ever since his student days, Nadda held several offices in different capacities and always proved his mettle.
Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur said that it was an honour of the people of Himachal Pradesh that Nadda was made the Working President of BJP, the biggest political party of the world. He said that the Union Government has simplified tax procedure in the country thereby benefitting crores of tax payers.
Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Agriculture Minister Ram Lal Markanda, Health Minister Vipin Singh Parmar, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Virender Kanwar, several MLAs and senior BJP leaders were present on the occasion.