New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS): Ahead of the Assembly polls, Himachal Pradesh Congress working president Pawan Kumar Kajal joined the BJP on Wednesday.

Two time MLA and vice president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Lakhvinder Singh Rana also joined the BJP, along with Kajal, during a function at the party national headquarters here.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, party national general secretary Arun Singh, media department head Anil Baluni and others were also present at the function.

Kajal and Rana are both two time MLAs from Kangra and Nalagarh respectively.

Welcoming both the leaders, Jairam Thakur said: "Kajal is a big OBC leader and his joining will strengthen the party."

Thakur noted that the Assembly polls will be held in November and the party is moving ahead with its preparations.

He added that like in the other states, the Congress is out of Himachal Pradesh as well.

Expressing confidence of winning the Assembly polls, Thakur said: "The BJP will change the tradition of changing government every five years like it did in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana."

After joining the party, Kajal said that he joined the BJP respecting the sentiments of the people of his constituency.