Not in the race, says Congress leader seen as Himachal CM frontrunner

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, three-time MLA and head of the Congress’s election committee in Himachal Pradesh, Saturday dismissed the speculation about him being a frontrunner in the race for the post of Chief Minister.

After a confortable win in the hill state on Thursday, the grand old party is holding deliberations to fill the top post. Apart from Sukhu, Mandi MP and state party president Pratibha Singh and former leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri are in the fray for the chief ministerial post.

Sukhu, 58, Congress’ former state unit chief, is looking to cement his position in the party’s upper echelons following his comfortable victory in Nadaun. He attended Friday’s meeting in Shimla as one of the hopefuls for the post. Speaking to reporters on Saturday Sukhu took a swipe at the BJP.

Also read: Himachal Pradesh: Crucial party meet authorises Kharge to pick CM

“Himachal Pradesh will have the most stable government of the Congress. Forty members of the party were elected and three other MLAs have pledged us their support. We’re 43 MLAs. Nobody will break away from Congress but from the BJP. They only set narratives. In the times to come, 6-7 BJP MLAs can come to Congress,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

‘Have never desired a post’

Sukhu underlined that he was never in the Himachal CM race “neither yesterday, today or even in future.” He asserted: “I’m a Congress worker and I’ve always worked as a worker. I’ve never desired a post. Congress had made me the state party chief. Party gave me a lot, and it’s my duty to abide by their order.”

Also read: In narrow Himachal win, Congress cannot afford to celebrate yet

On Friday, the party had passed a resolution, and stressed that the decision of picking the Himachal’s next CM would be of the top leadership. “The one-line resolution was passed unanimously and the party’s observers — Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former CM of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda — would submit their report to the party high command on Saturday,” Rajiv Shukla told reporters. The meeting of newly-elected MLAs was held a day after the declaration of results in the state.

“All 40 MLAs took part in the CLP meeting today and all have unanimously passed the proposal to leave the decision to select the CM of the state on party high command,” Shukla said on Saturday. “Media reports that there is a division inside the party are absolutely wrong,” he added.

Congress won 40 of 68 seats in the Himachal Pradesh assembly election. The BJP got 25 of 68 seats in Himachal Pradesh and retained Gujarat for a seventh straight term.