Himachal Pradesh Congress working president Harsh Mahajan joins BJP

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 28

In a massive pre-poll jolt to the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, party’s working president Harsh Mahajan joined the BJP here on Wednesday. Mahajan leaving the party comes as a surprise to the grand old organisation battling a massive crisis in Rajasthan.

Mahajan is a former state Cabinet minister and represented Chamba in the Himachal Assembly thrice winning consecutively in 1993, 1998 and 2003.

Mahajan quit the Congress today after half a century of association. He had joined the party in 1972.

Mahajan is the son of former Himachal Assembly Speaker and Cabinet minister Des Raj Mahajan. He was also president of the party’s youth wing between 1986 and 1995.

He was first elected to the Assembly in 1993 and was parliamentary secretary from 1994 to 1998 and a Cabinet minister in the Animal Husbandry Department.

Mahajan was appointed a working president of the Himachal Congress in May this year during a pre-election overhaul of the party.

Congress MLAs Lakhwinder Rana and Pawan Kajal had recently joined the BJP and more leaders were expected to leave the party.

Only yesterday, the Congress Central election committee chaired by Sonia Gandhi approved re-nomination of all sitting MLAs in the upcoming elections.

A dearth of candidates in key seats has led the party to decide against implementing any formula in the state, saying that winnability will be the sole consideration.

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