Shimla: Prem Kumar Dhumal was today unanimously elected the leader of the Himachal Pradesh BJP Legislature Party, paving the way for his swearing in as the Chief Minister of the hill state for the second time.

State BJP president and MLA from Chachiot in Mandi district Jairam Thakur proposed Dhumal's name which was seconded by party leader in the outgoing assembly I D Dhiman.

Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar and state in-charge of the party Satyapal Jain were present in the meeting which was attended by all 41 newly elected BJP MLAs.

The BJP high command had already crowned Dhumal, 63, who led the saffron surge winning from Bamsan in Hamirpur district beating his schoolmate and Congress candidate Col(retd) B C Lagwal by 26,000 votes, as its CM nominee in the hill state and today's meeting was merely a formality to approve the decision.

Dhumal will shortly be meeting Governor V S Kokje to stake claim to form the government.

Source : PTI