Congress central leadership on Saturday decided that Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu will be Chief Minister and Mukesh Agnihotri Deputy Chief Minister in Himachal Pradesh.
The decision came a day after newly-elected Congress MLAs authorised the party high command to appoint the leader of the legislature party. “Congress leader Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu to be CM of Himachal Pradesh and Mukesh Agnihotri to be Deputy CM. The oath ceremony will take place tomorrow at 11 am,” Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel told ANI.
Agnihotri, a former journalist, is a five-time MLA and won the polls from Haroli in Una district of Himachal Pradesh. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the previous assembly. Sukhu, a former state Congress chief headed the campaign committee during the elections and won from Nadaun in the Hamirpur district.
AICC in-charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Bhupesh Baghel were in Shimla to oversee the election of new leader.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hailed Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for the responsibility given to him.
“I am thankful to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and the people of the state. Our government will bring change. It is my responsibility to fulfill the promises we made to the people of Himachal Pradesh. We have to work for the development of the state,” he said.
Earlier today, the supporters of Congress state president Pratibha Singh, gathered and raised slogans demanding the Congress state chief’s appointment as the Chief Minister.
Congress won the assembly polls in the state and got 40 seats.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
