Himachal BJP president Rajeev Bindal resigns amid health scam row

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh BJP president Rajeev Bindal resigned from his post on Wednesday within four-and-a-half months of his appointment, saying he was doing so to ensure a proper investigation into the case of alleged corruption by a Health Department official.

In a resignation letter sent to BJP president J P Nadda, Bindal stated that he was tendering his resignation on high moral grounds as some people were dragging the party's name in the alleged corruption case.

Health Services Director Ajay Kumar Gupta was arrested on May 20 by the State Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau after a 43-second audio recording went viral, in which he purportedly asks the other person for a bribe of Rs 5 lakh.

Gupta was placed under suspension by the state government after his arrest, an official said.

Bindal, who became state BJP president on January 18 after resigning from the post of assembly Speaker, said he resigned so that the case might be thoroughly investigated without any pressure.

The resignation has been accepted by the BJP president, the party said.