Cong observers in HP meet guv ahead of MLA meet

December 09, 2022 16:43

Pratibha Singh is eyeing the top post

Congress observers sent to Himachal Pradesh after the party wrested power from the BJP met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Friday, ahead of a meeting of the newly elected MLAs.

The MLAs are expected to pass a resolution authorising the party president to pick the legislature party leader who will be the next chief minister.

Earlier, the Congress observers -- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former chief minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda -- and AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla met state Congress chief Pratibha Singh at a hotel.

Pratibha Singh, Congress MP and the wife of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, has indicated that she is in the running for the chief minister's post, a point also made by her son.

"I am not in the race for the top post but my mother is one of the contenders for the post of chief minister," her son and Congress MLA from Shimla Rural Vikramaditya Singh told PTI.

"A meeting of all winning MLAs has been convened and the final decision would be taken by the high command which would be acceptable to all," he added.

The Congress on Thursday won 40 seats in the 68-member Assembly in the hill state which maintained its tradition of not voting any incumbent government to power since 1985.

Hooda, who arrived in Shimla on Friday, met the governor along with Baghel and Shukla. Hooda later said they have informed the governor that the party has the majority and will seek a formal meeting with him later to stake claim to form the government.

Deciding on the chief minister who can bind the party going forward is the immediate challenge for the Congress. Pratibha Singh is considered a key frontrunner for the chief minister's post, closely followed by former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri.

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