CHANDIGARH: Congress leader Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was on Sunday sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. He and his deputy Mukesh Agnihotri were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar during a grand ceremony in historic Shimla Ridge in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
Sukhu’s family, including his 85-year-old mother, wife and daughters were present at the ceremony.
Only Sukhu and Agnihotri took the oath on Sunday with the cabinet expansion likely to take place over the coming days. Sources said efforts are on to end factionalism within the state Congress unit.
Meanwhile, Sukhu sought to play down friction within the party. Talking to a television channel, he said, “Lobbying happens, but there is no factionalism in the Congress in Himachal… It was a narrative by the BJP.”
Sources said Vikramaditya Singh, the son of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who passed away last year, could be accommodated in the cabinet to please the Virbhadra faction.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sukhu and assured all possible cooperation from the Centre to further the development of the state. “Congratulations to Shri Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu Ji,” Modi said in a tweet. “I assure all possible cooperation from the Centre to further the development of Himachal Pradesh,” he said.
Before the start of Sunday’s ceremony, Congress leaders paid floral tributes to a portrait of Singh. The state Congress had been under the shadow of Singh for several decades and the swearing in of Sukhu, considered his rival, is seen as a generational shift. Sukhu is expected to start attending office from Monday.
Patel to take oath today in pm’s presence
BJP legislative party leader Bhupendrabhai Patel will take oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for a second straight term on Monday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, and other dignitaries, BJP leaders said on Sunday. Patel, who will be the 18th CM of Gujarat, will be administered the oath of office by Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat at a grand ceremony to be held in Gandhinagar. The new council of ministers will also be sworn-in