New CM, New Hopes

Himachal This Week Team           cover story

The new BJP government with new Chief Minister brings new hopes for people of Himachal. Jai Ram Thakur took oath as Himachal’s new Chief Minister in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s national president Amit Shah at the historic Ridge in Shimla. Governor Acharya Devvrat also administered oath to 11 ministers even as chief ministers of various BJP ruled states were also present on the occasion. The Cabinet is seen as a blend of experience and youth as five new faces made it to the Council of Ministers. The Cabinet in its first meeting took many decisions that showed its commitment to follow BJP government’s vision document. The government has made an emphatic beginning but aspirations of people will be high from this BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur who put in a lot of hard work in his political career to achieve the top post in this hilly state.

Cabinet Decisions

* Put on hold all transfers and postings ordered by previous Congress government

* To review all decisions taken by previous Congress government in the last six months

* Terminated services of all those employees who were on extension or re-employed after superannuation

* Put on hold the recruitment process being carried out other than by the HPPSC and HPSSC

* Recruitment in various medical colleges to continue

* Lowering the age limit for providing social security pension from 80 to 70 years

* To constitute a Cabinet sub-committee to look into the problems being created by abandoned animals

* The BJP’s Swarnim Himachal Drishti Patra to be adopted as the policy document of the state government

* All appointments made by previous Congress government, chairman and vice-chairman of different boards and corporations to be ceased

Emphatic Beginning

Kangra and Mandi parliamentary constituencies got ample representation in Council of Ministers while Prem Kumar Dhumal’s political loss is hurting Hamirpur. The Cabinet is a blend of new and experienced faces and Team Jai Ram is beginning a new innings based on its potential and vision. Energy of students organisation, advice of RSS and struggle by big leaders resulted in coronation of the Cabinet at the historic Ridge in Shimla. The swearing in ceremony was also graced by the presence of Prime Minister, Union ministers and chief ministers of many BJP ruled states in the backdrop of playing of traditional instruments. The first Cabinet meeting also underlined need of the hour as it is also reflective of Himachal’s caste permutations, geographical combinations and cultural background of Himachal’s society. The BJP is conducting new experiments with new faces in contrast to previous Dhumal and Virbhadra governments. Seen in the backdrop of representation, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Sirmour and Chamba district’s don’t have representation in the Cabinet that has five new faces. There will be political coronation of certain faces as chief parliamentary secretaries, chairmen and vice chairmen of different boards and corporations. The first Cabinet meeting indicates that a new era has ushered in and fresh decisions are required to assure people that everything is changing actually. The government has plugged backdoor entries in recruitments and many such processes initiated during the previous government’s tenure would be stopped. It will put an end to doling out favours. It has also decided to review decisions taken during previous government’s last six months besides deciding to remove many holding high posts. The government has also assured to adopt a transparent norms in transfers. The Cabinet has shown inclination to follow the commitment incorporated in BJP government’s vision document. The government viewpoint is visible in first meeting but will come to the fore while facing opposition in upcoming winter session of the assembly beginning at Tapovan near Dharamshala from January 9. Jai Ram Thakur’s government has begun emphatically but soaring aspirations of people will always critically analyse its functioning.

New Experiments In New Government

Himachal has got a new chief minister and five new faces were also inducted in the Council of Ministers. These include Govind Singh Thakur, Vipin Singh Parmar, Virender Kanwar, Vikram Singh and Dr. Rajeev Saijal. The party high command has sent message to give importance to young faces. The cabinet has maintained caste and regional balance and only those areas will feel neglected where MLAs have been elected for the first time. Formation of the Cabinet reflects BJP’s objective about Mission 2019 with Mandi and Kangra parliamentary seats getting the major share as compared to Shimla and Hamirpur seats. Notably, appointments as chief parliamentary secretaries and chairmen and vice chairmen of different boards and corporations are yet to be made.

Kangra Gets Four Ministers

Politically significant and largest district Kangra got four ministers in the Cabinet including two new faces. Two of the ministers hail from Rajput community one schedule tribe and one woman from other backward classes. The BJP has got 11 seats out of 15 from Kangra, a fact that has once again proven that it is gateway to formation of any government in this hilly station.

No Representation To Four Districts

Four districts Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Chamba and Sirmour did not get representation in the Council of Ministers. Following the defeat of BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal from Sujanpur constituency, Hamirpur did not figure in the Cabinet. Notably, Hamirpur got Chief Minister for a decade and Leader of Opposition for another decade since 1998.

* I had never thought that I would achieve this post. I will not indulge in vendetta politics

-Jai Ram Thakur Chief Minister Himachal Pradesh

Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘Divya Himachal TV’. Also,  Download our Android App