BJP to change Himachal CM ahead of assembly elections: Manish Sisodia while Jairam Thakur denies it

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday claimed that the BJP was considering replacing Jai Ram Thakur with Union Minister Anurag Thakur as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh ahead of the assembly elections in the state.

New Delhi:Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday claimed that the BJP was considering replacing Jai Ram Thakur with Union Minister Anurag Thakur as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh ahead of the assembly elections in the state.

Addressing a press conference, he said the BJP wanted to make the big change as it feared defeat in the elections with the growing “popularity” of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. However, Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur dismissed Sisodia's claims.

“We have learnt from very reliable sources that the BJP wants to replace Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur with Anurag Thakur as it is scared of the popularity of Arvind Kejriwal and his model of governance in Delhi,” Sisodia claimed. People of the state are disappointed with the Jai Ram Thakur government, which has “completely failed”, and hence, they want to give their mandate to the AAP in the upcoming assembly elections, he said.

The senior AAP leader said that his party was receiving “a very good response” from the people of Himachal Pradesh. “Changing faces ahead of elections will not help the BJP hide the failures of its government in the state, and the Aam Aadmi Party will form its government winning elections in Himachal Pradesh, no matter what they (BJP) do now,” he added.

Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann held a roadshow in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday and promised to end corruption in the state on the lines of Delhi and Punjab if elected to power. The AAP claimed that 3 lakh people have joined their Himachal Pradesh membership drive so far.