Prem Kumar Dhumal

Prem Kumar Dhumal
Dhumal in 2008
5th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh
In office 30 December 2007 – 25 December 2012
Preceded by	Virbhadra Singh
Succeeded by	Virbhadra Singh
Constituency	Bamsan
In office 24 March 1998 – 5 March 2003
Preceded by	Virbhadra Singh
Succeeded by	Virbhadra Singh
Constituency	Bamsan
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office 2007–2008
Preceded by	Suresh Chandel
Succeeded by	Anurag Thakur
Constituency	Hamirpur
In office 1989–1996
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Constituency	Hamirpur
Personal details
Born	(1944-04-10) 10 April 1944 (age 77) Samirpur, Hamirpur district, Punjab, British India (now in Himachal Pradesh, India)
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse(s)	Sheela Dhumal
Children	Two sons, Arun and Anurag
Alma mater	M.A. from Doaba College, Jalandhar LL.B. from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Teacher
Signature

Prem Kumar Dhumal (pronounced [preːmə kʊmaːrə d̪ʱuːmələ]; born 10 April 1944) is an Indian politician and was the Bharatiya Janata Party's Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2017 Himachal Assembly Election, in which he lost his seat. He previously served twice as Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, from March 1998 to March 2003 and again from 1 January 2008 to 25 December 2012.

Early life[]

Prem Kumar Dhumal was born on 10 April 1944 in Samirpur village, Hamirpur district.^[1] His father's name was Capt Mahant Ram and mother's name Phulmu Devi.^[1] He has M.A.(Eng), and LL.B. degrees following his education at Doaba College in Jalandhar and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar^[1].^[2] He became a lecturer at a private college in Punjab.^[3]

Dhumal married Sheela on 23 May 1972,^[1][2] with whom he has two sons, Arun Thakur and Anurag Thakur. The latter is also a politician and has been a member of the 14th and 15th Lok Sabhas, as well as Minister of Finance (India) in Independent Charge.^{[citation needed]}

Political career[]

Dhumal became vice-president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in 1982.^[4] In 1984, he was selected as the candidate for the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency when the sitting Member of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (MLA), and state stalwart Jagdev Chand, refused to stand.^[4]

Dhumal lost that election, won in 1989 and 1991,^[1] and lost the seat to in 1996.^[3]

After the sudden death of Jagdev Chand in 1993,^[4] Dhumal became active in state politics.^[4] He was president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Himachal Pradesh from 1993 and became the state's Chief Minister in March 1998^[4] after winning the Bamsan constituency of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly with a margin of 18,000 votes.

He headed the BJP-Himachal Vikas Congress coalition government for its full statutory term of five years(1998 to 2003)^[4] and became Leader of the Opposition when the BJP lost power in 2003^[4],^[3] winning only 16 seats despite support from the NDA Union government.^[5]

The period also saw significant infrastructure developments, particularly of roads, and gave rise to Dhumal being called the Sadak walla Chief Minister.^[3]

Dhumal resigned his seat in the Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly upon winning the Hamirpur constituency in a 2007 by-election for the Lok Sabha.^[1] The by-election came about because of the expulsion of Suresh Chandel, a BJP Member of Parliament who had been involved in a cash-for-questions scandal.^[3][6] A further by-election in May 2008 saw Dhumal replaced as MP by his son, Anurag Thakur.^[7]

Dhumal became Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh for a second time after being sworn-in on 30 December 2007 after the BJP won that year's assembly elections^[1].^[8] The BJP lost power in the 2012 elections.^[9]

In the state assembly elections of 2017, Dhumal stood as a BJP candidate in the Sujanpur constituency and was the party's proposed candidate for the Chief Ministerial office. Even though the BJP gained majority in the elections, Dhumal lost to a candidate from the Indian National Congress hence thwarting his chances to lead the government for the third time in Himachal Pradesh.^[10]

Personal interests[]

He has written large number of articles which have been published in different leading newspapers on political, cultural, sports and other national issues from time to time and he was the General Secretary of the college literary society and editor of college magazine.^[1] His social and cultural interests include helping the poor sections of the society in getting good education free of cost or at cheaper cost and helping the poorer sections of society in getting their daughter's married.^[1] He has special interest in the field of rural development, employment generation, involvement of youth in constructive work and activities, development of tourism, Hydel power in the state, inspire agriculturists to switch over to horticulture, floriculture and heliculture so that they can increase their income.^[1] He has interest in reading and listening to good music in free time. He had also been captain of the college volley ball team for three consecutive years and played it up to his university level.

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prem Kumar Dhumal.

• Corruption Issue : http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100121/himachal.htm#4