HP BJP chief quits 6 days after purchase scam

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 27

Himachal Pradesh BJP president Rajeev Bindal resigned today within four months of taking over the party reins in the state. In his one-page letter to BJP national president JP Nadda, he wrote: “Fingers are being raised at the BJP after the arrest of the former Director, Health Services. Being the state BJP president, I feel the matter should be investigated thoroughly without any pressure. I am submitting my resignation on moral grounds.”

The resignation comes six days after the arrest of Dr Ajay Gupta by the State Vigilance and Anti -Corruption Bureau over alleged irregularities in purchases made by the Health Department.There were reports of a close associate of a “senior” BJP leader being questioned in the case.The mobile phone of the aide on which the audio was recorded and subsequently deleted has been seized. It has been sent to the forensic lab at Junga to retrieve the data.

The probe took a curious turn on Tuesday after Dr Gupta was remanded to five days’ police custody on being discharged from hospital, with party leaders apprehending that any expose could cause damage to the party image. Chosen by BJP party president JP Nadda, Bindal had resigned as Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha. He took over as president of the state unit on January 18.