Himachal: Sukhwinder Sukhu to be new CM, Mukesh Agnihotri his Deputy

Ashwini Sharma  | MP | 11 Dec 2022 | Shimla: The 58-year-old Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, a former PCC president will take over as the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. 

He was elected as leader of the 40-member Congress Legislature party in Shimla in presence of two Congress party observers viz Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Haryana's former Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda. 

AICC in charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla was also present. Announcing the election of a new leader, Shukla said all the MLAs endorsed the election of Sukhu as new Chief Minister. 

The party's high command had earlier cleared his name after they had held wide-ranging consultations with the MLAs and contenders. Mukesh Agnihotri, a leader of the Opposition in the outgoing House was named as Sukhu's deputy. 

Agnihotri, a staunch Virbhadra Singh loyalist, had also served as a Cabinet minister during 2012-2017 and remained a close confidant of Virbhadra Singh while Sukhu was a Virbhadra Singh baiter. 

He said the oath-taking ceremony of the new Congress-led government in Himachal will take place on Sunday. Immediately after the election of new leader, senior party leaders along with Sukhu and Agnihotri reached Raj Bhawan and informed Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar about the completion of election process of new leader. 

Raj Bhawan later shared the photographs of the senior Congress leaders including Bhupesh Baghel meeting Governor Arlekar. 

"The oath ceremony will be held at the Ridge at 2 PM," said a Raj Bhawan spokesman. PCC president Pratibha Singh, wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who had also staked a claim for the post of Chief Minister said that she will follow the decision of the high command. 

A day earlier, her supporters had raised slogans at the Congress party office and even on Saturday continued their show of strength at the state Vidhan Sabha complex asking the party observers to name her as Chief Minister. 

What favoured the party to choose Sukhu was the support of the MLAs he enjoyed in the 40-member CLP. Sukhu also claimed that three independents—who are BJP rebels — have also backed him. Sukhu had no experience working in the government but enjoys a long tenure as an organisational man with his terms as NSUI president, state youth Congress president, and also state Congress chief when Virbhadra Singh was Chief Minister. 

"I was a college union president at the age of 17. Thereafter, I remained general secretary of NSUI, its president, and youth congress president for a long time, beside serving as state Congress head. I also remained councillor at Shimla Municipal Corporation twice. I did not have any political background as I come from an ordinary family," Sukhu told reporters. 

Sukhu turned emotional while talking to media persons, after having been elected to the post. 

He said, "The Congress government will bring change to the hill state and it is his responsibility to fulfill the promises made to the people during the Assembly election. 

I will try to do justice to all sections of the state and will also ponder over mistakes if committed during discharge of his functions." 

He thanked Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for their blessings and support to him and also recalled the role of late Rajiv Gandhi in his making as NSUI president. 

Born at the village Bhavran in Hamirpur district, Sukhu represented the Nadaun constituency of Hamirpur – the home district of former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/big-stories/himachal-sukhwinder-sukhu-to-be-new-cm-mukesh-agnihotri-his-deputy-501840