Himachal Congress MLAs authorise Kharge to name CM; Pratibha Singh front runner

Himachal Pradesh has not voted any incumbent government back to power since 1985.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. (Photo | PTI)
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. (Photo | PTI)

CHANDIGARH: A day after wresting power in Himachal Pradesh, newly elected Congress MLAs on Friday passed a typical one-line resolution authorising party president Mallikarjun Kharge to name their chief minister.

Pratibha Singh’s loyalists raise slogans
demanding her selection as CM before
Bhupesh Baghel’s vehicle, in Shimla | PTI

Himachal Congress president Pratibha Singh leads the race for the hot seat followed by former state unit chief Sukhiwnder Singh Sukhu and outgoing Congress legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri. The first meeting of the legislature party at Shimla had to be postponed thrice before it began late in the evening.

The resolution authorising Kharge to name the new CM was moved by Agnihotri and seconded by Sukhu. After the meeting, AICC’s Himachal Congress in-charge Rajeev Shukla flanked by Pratibha, Sukhu and two party observers Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda made the announcement about the resolution. “Both our observers will give their report to the high command in a day or so. Then the decision on the new CM will be made,’’ he said.

Shukla claimed that no MLA proposed any name and it is for Kharge to take the call. However, sources claimed that all MLAs were told to give two names for CMship along with their merits and demerits.
Right through the day, both Pratibha and Sukhu were lobbying will party MLAs seeking their support. While Pratibha met Baghel, Hooda and Shukla, Sukhu remained elusive during the day amidst speculation that he was keeping his flock of MLAs intact.

Before the CLP meeting, Pratibha’s supporters raised slogans outside Congress Bhawan in Shimla, demanding that she be made the CM. Pratibha did not contest the Assembly election as he represents mandi in Parliament. However, she campaigned extensively across the state and sought votes in the name of her late husband Virbhadra Singh’s legacy.

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