CHANDIGARH: The Congress finally seems to be padding up for the Assembly poll battle in Himachal Pradesh. The party on Wednesday announced a rejig in its state unit, naming Lok Sabha MP from Mandi and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh as the president.
It has also appointed four working presidents — Harsh Mahajan, Rajinder Rana, Vinay Kumar and Pawan Kajal. Mukesh Agnihotri will continue as the Congress Legislature Party leader and Harshvardhan Chauhan as the deputy leader. “This is for the first time that working presidents have been appointed in the state,” said a senior leader.
Nadaun MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has been made chairman of the campaign committee and will also be a member of the screening committee. Former Union minister Anand Sharma will head the steering committee and Asha Kumari will be its convener.
Since the death of Virbhadra Singh last year, Himachal Congress has been a divided lot. Singh had been the undisputed face of the grand old party in the hill state since 1980s. Some leaders in the state are of the opinion that the appointment of Pratibha Singh will strengthen the Congress and end factionalism as the former CM’s family has the support of the dominant group within the party. The Congress expects that the Rajput factor and the sympathy wave for her will also work in its favour.