BJP's Khatima MLA Pushkar Singh Dhami was appointed as the new chief minister of Uttarakhand on Saturday. Dhami's appointment to the top post comes at the heels of CM Tirath Singh Rawat's resignation.
BJP MLA from Khatima, Pushkar Singh Dhami (45) took oath as the 11th chief minister of Uttarakhand on Sunday (July 4).
Dhami becomes the youngest chief minister of Uttarkhand at the age of 45, succeeding Tirath Singh Rawat who tendered his resignation to the Governor on Friday. Dhami is the third chief minister Uttarakhand has had in four months.
Dhan Singh Rawat, Rekha Arya and Swami Yatishwaranand were also sworn in as Cabinet ministers during the ceremony on Sunday. At the same time, Bishan Singh Chufal, Subodh Uniyal, Arvind Pandey, Satpal Maharaj, Harak Singh Rawat, Bansidhar Bhagat, and Ganesh Joshi and two others were sworn in as ministers in the new state Cabinet.
BJP Uttarakhand president Madan Kaushik was also present at the ceremony held at Raj Bhawan in Dehradun on Sunday.
After taking the oath, Dhami told media outlets, "I have been working among youngsters and I understand the issues very well. Covid has impacted their livelihood. We will try to make the situation better for them and will try to appoint youngsters for the vacant posts in the state."
Congratulating Dhami, Home Minister Amit Shah said in a tweet, "Hearty congratulations to Mr @pushkardhami on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. I believe under PM @narendramodi's leadership, you will give new energy and momentum to the development of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand and the works of public welfare with full devotion and dedication."
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Dhami met senior BJP leaders, some of whom are said to be unhappy over his appointment. He met Chaubattakhal MLA Satpal Maharaj at the latter's residence in Dalanwala and offered him a bouquet of flowers.
He was said to have persuaded the senior leader, whose name was doing the rounds, for the chief minister's post until Saturday.
However, talking to reporters, Dhami said there was no resentment within the party.
Who is Pushkar Singh Dhami?
Dhami was born in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh on September 16, 1975 and holds a postgraduate degree in Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations. He is an advocate by profession.
A two-time MLA from Khatima constituency in Udham Singh Nagar, Dhami volunteered for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and also served as the state president of the Uttarakhand arm of BJP's youth wing - Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) from 2002-2008.
Dhami also served as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former state chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari from 2001-2002.
'BJP has given role to work as Mukhya Sevak'
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Dhami said that a democratic party like the BJP has given a soldier's son the opportunity to become chief minister of Uttarakhand.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda and senior leaders from the state, Dhami said, "They gave a simple, soldier's son the opportunity to become chief minister of Uttarakhand. The party is my mother. The party has given him the role to work as "mukhya sevak" (chief servant).
On being asked if BJP's prospects in the upcoming election would be affected by the frequent changes in chief ministers despite having a majority in the state, Dhami said these developments won't affect the party's performance.
"A lot of work has been happening. People know who has worked for them and who played appeasement politics. The 2020 assembly election is a challenge but I will turn it into an opportunity," he said.
Dhami holds first cabinet meeting
Dhami held the first cabinet meeting at the secretariat soon after he was sworn in as the new chief minister of the state on Sunday to take some important decisions about the immediate needs of Uttarakhand.
"Very important decisions in the interest of the state's youth and the unemployed were taken at the cabinet meeting," Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal told reporters after the meeting.
However, a detailed briefing on the cabinet meeting will be held on Monday, official sources said.
(With PTI inputs)
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