Dhumal’s marriage anniv assumes political overtones
SHIMLA: With the political scenario in Himachal Pradesh heating up due to the assembly elections scheduled later this year, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal’s 50th marriage anniversary became an occasion of gathering of the state BJP’s prominent faces, including chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, lauding his contribution towards the state.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur celebrated his parents’- father Prem Kumar Dhumal and mother Shiela Dhumal- 50th marriage anniversary at a private hotel, two kilometres from Hamirpur town, on Monday. His younger brother Arun Dhumal, BCCI secretary and other family members were present at the function. Chief minister Thakur, who was on a day-long tour to New Delhi, visited Dhumals to felicitate them. He wished the couple a healthy and happy life ahead and many more years of togetherness. State BJP chief Suresh Kashyap also reached the venue to greet 78-year-old Dhumal and lauded his contribution to the state.
Industries Minister Bikram Singh Thakur, Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rajendra Garg, and deputy chief whip Kamlesh Kumari were amongst those who also attended the function. Vidhan Sabha Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar and Nagrota Bagwan legislator Arun Mehra were also present.
Thakur had also invited former chief minister Shanta Kumar to the programme but he couldn’t make it and felicitated the couple over the phone.
Congress legislator from Fatehpur Bhawani Singh Pathania and Palampur legislator
Ashish Butal also attended the function.
BJP veteran, Dhumal, who had faced unexpected defeat in the 2017 assembly elections from Sujanpur to his protégé Rajendra Rana had been lying low since then.
However, he is now been active on the political fronts and is making occasional tours to other assembly segments outside his home district- Hamirpur.Dhumal became the state chief minister for the first time in 1998 with the support of former telecommunication minister Sukhram’s Himachal Vikas Congress and then again in 2008.