BJP appoints MLA Rajeev Bindal as party chief in Himachal Pradesh

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed, five-time MLA Rajeev Bindal as president of the Himachal Pradesh unit of the party.

"BJP National President Hon'ble Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda has appointed Dr Rajeev Bindal as State President of Himachal Pradesh. This appointment comes into immediate effect," Arun Singh, National General Secretary, BJP, said in a letter on Sunday.

This comes after Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Suresh Kashyap tendered his resignation to the party's national president JP Nadda citing his personal reasons.

Bindal, who hails from Solan headed the BJP state unit earlier as well.

In other appointments, the party has made Siddharthan and Pawan Rana Mahamantri their organisational general secretary in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi state units respectively.

The BJP had suffered defeat in Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections last year in which Congress returned to power winning 40 seats.

Senior Congress leader Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took oath as the 15th Chief Minister of the hill state last year following the party's win.

A loyalist of the Gandhi family, Sukhu (58) is a four-time MLA and former chief of Congress in the state.