Jai Ram Thakur sworn in as 14th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh

December 27, 2017

BJP’s five-time MLA Jai Ram Thakur (52) was sworn in as the 14th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. Along with him 11 other Ministers were also sworn in.
They administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Acharya Dev Vrat as per provisions of Article 164 (3) at the Ridge ground in Shimla. For the first time in the history of the state, Prime Minister had attended an oath taking ceremony.

Jai Ram Thakur

Thakur is a veteran politician who earlier had served as Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister in Prem Kumar Dhumal’s government from 2008 to 2012. He was also BJP Himachal Pradesh unit chief from 2006 to 2009.
He hails from Tandi village in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. He was born in a farmer’s family and is youngest of five siblings. He had started active political career during his college days by joining BJP’s student wing ABVP and later became its full time activist.
He had contested his first Assembly election from Chachiot constituency of Mandi on a BJP ticket in 1993 at the age of 28 but lost. He was fielded again in 1998 state elections and since then he has won five times from Seraj constituency.

Background

The 2017 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election was held on 9 November 2017 to elect all 68 members of state legislative Assembly. BJP had emerged victorious by winning 44 out of the 68 seats. It ousted the Congress from power which won 21 seats.