Former BJP state chief joins Cong in HP

In major set back to ruling BJP in assembly poll bound Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday former party chief, Vidhan Sabha deputy speaker, two time member of Assembly from Banjar Khimi Ram joined the Congress party at AICC headquarters.

Congress spokesperson Naresh Chauhan said here today that Khimi ram joined Congress party at AICC head office in presence of Party General secretary and state incharge

Rajiv Shukla.

He is elected first time for state assembly in 2003 and 2008. He was elected Vidhan Sabha deputy speaker in 2007 and Cabinet minister for Forest in 2011. He was elected BJP president in 2009.

Khimi Ram is considered staunch loyalist of former Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. Recently, too, two other Dhumal camp supporters Gulab Singh and Ravinder Ravi, were also more or less shown doors, as the two independent MLAs, Hoshiar Singh from Dehra and Prakash Rana from Jogindernagar constituency were inducted in the saffron party.