Dhumal accepts Nadda’s resignation

Dhumal said a formal formation notification on this would come shortly,adding that he had forwarded Nadda’s resignation to Governor Urmila Singh.

According to sources,Nadda’s portfolio — forest and parliamentary affairs — has been retained by the CM.

A three-time sitting MLA,Nadda (49),was inducted as minister in the BJP government in January 2008 for the second time and was given the portfolio of forest,environment and parliamentary affairs. In 1998,he had worked as health and family welfare minister. Nadda had submitted his resignation immediately after his induction in BJP chief Nitin Gadkari’s team in March 2010,but Dhumal did not want to take any decision on it without consulting Gadkari. The CM is believed to have discussed the matter with the party president when he was in Shimla last week to address the BJP’s ‘Nyaya rally’.

On Monday evening,Nadda held a meeting with Dhumal and reportedly urged him to accept his resignation to enable him to fully concentrate on the organisational affairs at the national level. Nadda earlier served as president of the All India Yuva Janata Morcha in 1991 and later as leader of the BJP Legislature Party in 1993.

On Tuesday,Nadda cleared all his pending files and other work that had been awaiting his approval. He met most officials and visitors at his residence and reportedly surrendered his official vehicle.

As forest minister,Nadda introduced two schemes of linking forests with livelihood issues and revival of the deodars in Shimla’s heritage belt. He was also instrumental in getting a new policy framed for timber distribution rights and lifting of the ban on khairwood — which is a source of earning for farmers in Bilaspur,Hamirpur,Una and Kangra districts.

Nadda had initially wanted to head the state unit of the party but Dhumal was not in favour of this and backed former deputy speaker Khimi Ram for the post.

With Nadda’s resignation creating a vacancy in the Cabinet,all eyes are on Dhumal who will announce the new incumbent. According to observers,there are chances of a Brahmin being inducted in the Cabinet. The CM is reportedly pondering over the candidature of Randhir Sharma,a young MLA from Bilaspur,while other names doing the rounds are Speaker Tulsi Ram and MLAs Suresh Bhardwaj and Khushi Ram Balnatah.