Satpal Singh Satti elected Himachal BJP chief

Senior BJP leader and sitting MLA from Una Satpal Singh Satti has been re-elected as the state party chief for the third time in a row.
Central observer Ganeshi Lal informed that two sets of nomination papers were filed on Satti's behalf, one by former Chief Minister Prem kumar Dhumal and endorsed by 17 MLAs, and other by former minister Narinder Bragata and seconded by 20 MLAS.
He said that Satti was elected unanimously at the general house meeting held at the state party headquarters here.
Satti was appointed state party chief for the first time in February 2012 and was reelected in 2013.

He was elected to Vidhan Sabha from Una assembly segment for the first time in 2003 and was reelected in 2007 and 2012 and also had a stint as Chief parliamentary secretary.
Satti got support from all factions of the party due to his effective handling of party affairs during past four years and was also credited with winning all four Lok Sabha seats in 2014, Lal said.

The party chief is credited with increasing the party membership from 4.50 lakh to 14.50 lakh and holding two days training camps for workers for ideological orientation in all 68 assembly segments.

Being an old associate of Union Health minister J P Nadda from his college days, Satti found a supporter in him while Dhumal was instrumental in his elevation as party chief in 2012.
Satti thanked the party workers and leaders for reposing faith in him and added that the party was so strong that it would sweep the polls if assembly elections are held today.
He said that more than 75 per cent party backed candidates have won in the Panchayat polls and same results are expected in the municipal elections to 52 urban local bodies slated for January 10.

Speaking at the occasion, former chief minister Dhumal said that in view of political uncertainty prevailing in the state, the assembly elections could be held in 2016 instead of 2017 but the BJP was in a strong position to sweep the polls irrespective of the timings of the polls.
Union Health minister J P Nadda also called upon the workers to prepare for assembly elections and ensure that the BJP was back in power in the state.
Barring former chief minister Shanta Kumar, MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Anurag Thakur, all MPs, MLAs, former ministers and other senior leaders were present in the general house meeting.