Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is next Himachal CM; to take oath on Sunday

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been named as the next chief minister of Himachal Pradesh by the Congress party. Leader of Opposition in outgoing Assembly Mukesh Agnihotri, who was also in the contention for the top post, will serve as the Deputy CM.

A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party took place in Shimla where the decision of the Congress high command was announced.

Pratibha Singh, wife of former Congress chief minister Virbhadra Singh who was also in the running, was quoted by the NDTV as saying: “I accept the high command’s decision.”

On Friday, supporters of Singh and Sukhu were seen coming face-to-face outside the party office, raising slogans in support of their respective leaders, in a show of strength.

Sukhu is likely to take oath on Sunday at 11 am, according the reports.

Also read: Himachal: Pratibha Singh, Sukhu, Agnihotri in the race for Congress CM

Sukhu gets support

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, a three-time MLA from the Nadaun constituency in Himachal Pradesh and the head of the Congress’s election committee in the state, had emerged as one of the three candidates in the fray for the chief ministerial post following the party’s win in Thursday’s Assembly elections.

Besides Pratibha Singh, the other leader considered in contention for the post was Leader of the Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri.

The 58-year-old leader began his career in student politics and went on to rise to the position of state unit chief.

Law background

A Nadaun native, Sukhu obtained a degree in law. He then joined the Congress’ student wing NSUI and was elected president of its state unit in 1989. Between 1998-2008, he also served as the president of the state youth Congress.

Sukhu was elected twice as a councillor of the municipal corporation of Shimla between 1992 and 2002. After stints with the Youth Congress, he became the secretary of the Pradesh Congress Committee in 2008.

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

Known for his time-management skills and popularity, Sukhu was made president of the party in 2013. He contested his first Assembly election in 2003 from Nadaun, winning the seat in 2007 and 2017.

Agnihotri’s rise

Mukesh Agnihotri had contested from Haroli in south-west Himachal. He was elected Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader after the 2017 Assembly polls. Before joining politics, Agnihotri worked as a journalist for more than a decade, during which he also served as a member of the Himachal State Press Advisory Committee, Government Pahari Language Committee, and other panels.

Agnihotri contested his first election in 2003 from the Santokgarh Assembly seat in Una district. He was re-elected from the constituency in 2007. He went on to win from the Haroli constituency, which was known as Santokhgarh before delimitation, in the 2012 and 2017 Assembly polls.

(With Agency inputs)