Himachal Pradesh is jubilant over reports on the likely appointment of Jagat Prakash Nadda from the State as president of the Bharatiya Janata Party. His hometown of Bilaspur is leading the celebrations.
The former Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad leader from Himachal Pradesh University became president of the Bharatiya Yuva Janata Morcha in 1991.
Mr. Nadda, who spent his early childhood in Bihar, joined the university as a student of Law in the early 1980s. He later shifted base to Delhi, joined the Yuva Morcha and became a full-time organiser.
After being elected to the Assembly in 1993, Mr. Nadda became a Minister from 1998 to 2003 and 2007 to 2012. He then became a Rajya Sabha member and joined the party organisation as its secretary in 2010.
Close to GadkariHe is considered close to Nitin Gadkari from his Yuva Morcha days.
Known for his oratory, Mr. Nadda, who is close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the party, played an important role in helping the BJP win all four Lok Sabha seats from Himachal Pradesh this time.
His decision of leaving the hill State when he was a Cabinet Minister here had paid him dividends, say party insiders.
He left the State because of the sudden rise of Anurag Thakur, son of the then Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal, they say.
On the possibility of Mr. Nadda becoming BJP president, Mr. Dhumal said: “It would be a matter of pride for the small hill State.”
