Shimla, July 10 - Former Himachal Pradesh deputy speaker Khimi Ram Friday took over as the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief, a party leader said.

'Khimi Ram this (Friday) afternoon assumed the charge of the state party chief. This has been done after Jai Ram Thakur's resignation from the post after his induction as the panchayati raj and rural development minister in the state government,' BJP leader Satya Pal Jain told IANS.

BJP president Rajnath Singh Thursday cleared Khimi Ram's name for the state party chief's post, Jain said.

After assuming charge, Khimi Ram told reporters: 'My aim would be to strengthen the party and to popularise the policies of the party at the grassroots.'

Khimi Ram is a second-time legislator from Banjar in Kullu district.