Himachal Pradesh polls: BJP announces Prem Kumar Dhumal as party's chief ministerial candidate

The Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) today announced former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter that Mr Dhumal has rich administrative experience and will make a "wonderful CM" once again.

He added that BJP's focus was on making Himachal Pradesh "corruption-free".

BJP President Amit Shah, who made the announcement, said Prem Kumar Dhumal would be the chief minister after December 18.

"Right now Dhumal ji is a former chief minister and an Opposition leader and after December 18, he is going to become the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh," Amit Shah said at a rally in Solan.

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Mr Dhumal, 73, has spearheaded the BJP campaign in Himachal Pradesh since the 1998 assembly polls. He led the party to victory in 1998 and 2007 but lost in 2003 and 2012.

The polling for the 68-seat Himachal Pradesh Assembly will take place on November 9. Results will be declared on December 18.

The BJP is hopeful of getting a clear majority and defeating the incumbent Congress government in the hill state.

The Congress has already projected Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh as the campaign committee chief.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)