Himachal Govt Formation HIGHLIGHTS: Congress Prez Kharge, Rahul, Priyanka & Others To Attend Oath Ceremony Tomorrow, Says Sukhu
Himachal Government Formation Live: Stay tuned to this page for all the latest updates and Breaking News on the government formation in Himachal Pradesh
"It's a courtesy call. I congratulate him. We will work together to serve the people of Himachal," Outgoing Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
People rejoice in Hamirpur's Nadaun, the hometown of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister-elect Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu. Sukhu is a four-term incumbent Nadaun MLA.
Congress workers celebrate in Shimla after Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu named as CM of the Himachal Pradesh, news agency ANI posted video.
Himachal Pradesh CM-designate Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Congress Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rajeev Shukla, and other Congress leaders meet former Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur at the CM residence in Shimla.
Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, state Congress chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, and other Congress leaders gather at Raj Bhawan to meet Himachal Pradesh Governor RV Arlekar and press their claim to form the state government.
" I am not in the race for CM's post," says Congress MLA Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
"Himachal Pradesh will have the most stable govt of Congress. 40 MLAs were elected & 3 other MLAs have pledged their support. We're 43 MLAs. Nobody will break away from Congress but from BJP. They only set narratives. In the time to come, 6-7 BJP MLAs can come to Congress," Congress leader SS Sukhu told ANI.
Suspense over Himachal CM name continues, Congress observers' meeting underway
Central observers to return to Delhi today, will submit report to President Kharge tomorrow
Shimla, Dec 9 (PTI) Newly elected Congress MLAs met here on Friday and unanimously passed a resolution authorising the party president to pick the legislature party leader, who will be the next Himachal Pradesh chief minister.
Ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting, chief minister hopefuls Pratibha Singh, Mukesh Agnihotri and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu reached the party office in state capital Shimla along with their supporters, who raised slogans in their favour.
The Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats. The polling was held on November 12 and the results were declared Thursday.
Addressing the media after the over two-hour meeting, AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla said the one-line resolution was passed unanimously and the party's observers would submit their report to its high command on Saturday.
Refuting that there is factionalism within the Congress party as several leaders were lobbying for the chief minister's post, Shukla said no name came forward for the post of the legislature party leader and the MLAs unanimously decided that the party leadership would take the call.
He said the Congress was happy at the opportunity to form the government in the state and asserted it would do everything to fulfil the 10 guarantees it gave to the people and provide better governance.
Stating that the entire Congress party respects former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, Shukla parried the questions on the possibility of the state getting its first woman chief minister or the top post being represented by a leader from lower Himachal.
Shukla was flanked by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former chief minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda on one side and Pratibha Singh and Sukhu on the other.
Earlier, as the party's central observers Baghel and Hooda worked to find a consensus candidate, a group of supporters of Pratibha Singh, the state party chief and wife of former CM Virbhadra Singh, blocked their vehicle and raised slogans in her support.
It happened as the central observers, along with Shukla, were going to meet Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The central leaders submitted a list of the party's winning MLAs to the governor and "sought time" to formally stake claim to form the government.
In Delhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the observers sent to the hill state were seeking the individual views of all party legislators and they would convey to him their opinions, based on which the party will take a decision on the chief ministerial candidate.
The Congress Legislature Party meeting was scheduled to begin at 3 pm but was delayed as several MLAs could not reach Shimla from far-away places earlier.
Speaking to mediapersons ahead of the CLP meeting, Congress leader Sukhu said, "I am not a chief minister aspirant. I am just a Congress worker and whatever decision the high command would take would be accepted." Earlier in the day, Pratibha Singh, 66, had 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.
Vikramaditya Singh told reporters here that "collective will of MLAs will be kept in mind and then observers will convey the same to the high command".
Replying to a question, Singh said, "Whatever the high command decides will be acceptable to all of us." "Post is not important for us. What is important is the promises we made to people. We have to fulfil them and we are committed to that," he said.
He said the government will be formed in two-three days.
Former state chief of the party Sukhu and outgoing legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri are also believed to among the frontrunners for the chief minister's post.
Senior Haryana Congress leader Karan Singh Dalal, who was part of the Congress delegation which met the governor, told PTI that they gave the list and told him, "We have come to seek your time to present our credentials to form government in the state. The party has won the assembly polls with a majority." The Congress observers and Shukla also met Pratibha Singh at a hotel.
"The newly elected Congress MLAs would meet in Shimla on Friday post-election results and decide on electing the new legislature party leader," Shukla had told PTI on Thursday.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge says views of newly-elected MLAs in Himachal Pradesh are being sought to bring out consensus on who will be their leader, PTI reported.
CM to be from elected MLAs only. Congress considering SS Sukkhu a front-runner for HP CM post along with MLAs Mukesh Agnihotri & Rajendra Rana. The party considering accommodating ex-CM Virbhadra Singh's son&MLA Vikramaditya Singh with an important portfolio in the Cabinet, according to the sources, ANI reported.
39 Congress legislators are present in the meeting, one legislator on the way from Mandi to Shimla. Observers, Congress State Chief and AICC in charge of Himachal Pradesh are present in the Congress Legislature Party meeting, ANI reported.
Himachal Congress Legislature Party meeting begins in Shimla to discuss appointment of next chief minister, ANI reported.
"A person chosen by the elected MLAs and party high command will be the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh," said Sudhir Sharma, Congress MLA from Dharamshala.
Vikramaditya Singh, Congress MLA from Shimla Rural and son of former CM Virbhadra Singh, shows a victory sign as he arrives at the party office for the CLP meeting, ANI reported.
"There are no separate groups in Congress. CM will be decided by MLAs in the CLP meeting. Party high command to take the final decision," said Sanjay Ratan, Congress MLA from Jawalamukhi.
Supporters of Himachal Pradesh Congress Chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh raise slogans outside Congress headquarters in Shimla.
"No series of meetings are being conducted...Awaiting the arrival of all MLAs for the CLP meeting where a proposal will be passed, and the final decision will be taken by the party's high command," said Rajeev Shukla, Congress Himachal Pradesh in-charge, ANI reported.
"I am not a CM candidate. I am a disciplined soldier & worker of the Congress party and an MLA. Party high command's decision will be final," stated Congress leader Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, ANI reported.
Himachal Pradesh Congress Chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh arrives at Congress headquarters in Shimla for the Legislature Party meeting, ANI reported.
Himachal Pradesh Congress Chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh's supporters raise slogans in her support outside the Congress office in Shimla, ANI reported.
Sources tell that one of the CM contenders, Mukesh Agnihotri may support Sukhwinder Sukhu if consensus builds up in his favour.
Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh said that the party will hold a meeting in the evening to decide the name of the CM.
"There's no groupism, and everybody is with us," she added after meeting Rajeev Shukla, Bhupinder Hooda, and Bhupesh Baghel in Shimla.
Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is the front-runner to become Himachal Pradesh CM, according to sources. Sukhu reportedly enjoys the support of more MLAs and has the confidence of leadership.
Sources tell that observers will assess the support around him, however, the decision is more likely to go in Sukhu's favor.
Himachal Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajeev Shukla and supervisors Bhupinder Hooda, and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel hold meeting with state Congress chief Pratibha Singh and other leaders at a hotel in Shimla.
Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel has said that there was no question of neglecting anyone and that everyone would be taken together to go ahead.
"Everyone has the right to express their opinion. There is no problem," he said reacting to state party chief Pratibha Singh's comment.
Congress' Himachal in-charge Rajeev Shukla has said that an unofficial meeting of the elected MLAs has been called and the outcome will be intimated to the party High Command. He added that the High Command will take the decision on who will become the CM of the state.
He said, "With deities' blessings, we received the majority in Devbhoomi. We'll meet people's aspirations. We've called elected MLAs, and with an unofficial meeting with them, we'll intimate party High Command. The High Command will make the decision."
Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra played the most crucial role in Congress' Himachal win. He said, "In Shimla, people of Shimla won, Congress won and workers & leaders won. Everyone was working. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra played the most crucial role. There were blessings of Sonia-Rahul Gandhi. It's the first victory under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge as party chief."
Baghel has arrived in Shimla for the Congress' legislative party meeting to decide on the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.
Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rajeev Shukla, and supervisors Bhupesh Baghel and Bhupinder Hooda have arrived in Shimla ahead of Congress legislative party meeting, reported ANI.
Congress MLA and one of the CM candidates, SS Sukhu today said, "Earlier, every journalist asked under whose leadership will we (Cong) contest. I said it'll be done under collective leadership, ideology is supreme & post comes later. We'll have a CM. High command will make CM from those who had contested."
Elaborating on the CM face, he said, "Those elected as MLAs or those who want to be CM-someone who can be elected as MLA within 6 months...Whoever the high command wants, will be CM. Whoever has their blessings besides discussions & suggestions of MLAs-all this is discussed."
Ahead of the crucial party meeting to select the Chief Minister for Himachal Pradesh, the state Congress President Pratibha Singh said, "hey can't neglect his (Virbhadra Singh) family. We won on his name, face & work."
"It can't be that you use his name, face, and family and give credit to someone else. High Command won't do this," the wife of late Virbhadra Singh added.
AAP MLA Naresh Balyan has slammed the BJP for questioning AAP's loss from minister Satyendar Jain's ward. He said BJP put the innocent Jain behind bars and now asking why Aam Aadmi Party lost from his wards.
"But BJP is not telling why even after PM Modi putting in all efforts, the party lost from all the wards and booths of Anurag Thakur and JP Nadda," he tweeted.
Background
Himachal Government Formation LIVE: After the Congress victory in the Himachal Pradesh election, the party's MLAs are set to meet on Friday in Shimla to decide on the name of the chief minister. After securing a majority on its own, the party faces the uphill task to choose its chief ministerial candidate among various aspirants including former chief minister Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh. Among other apparent contenders for the post are former state Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri.
According to news agency ANI, Himachal Congress Legislature Party meeting is scheduled to be held at 3 pm at State Congress Headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan today. Rajeev Shukla, in-charge of the Himachal Pradesh Congress, and supervisors Bhupesh Baghel and Bhupendra Hooda will be present at the meeting.
The MLAs are expected to pass a resolution authorising the party's high command to take the final call for the same.
The Congress had not projected a Chief Ministerial candidate in the hill state and faces the task of choosing a chief ministerial face without creating factions in the state unit. As per ANI, the meeting of MLAs was earlier planned to be held in Chandigarh but after the party got a clear majority, the meeting was decided to take place in the state's capital.
Congress Wins Himachal Pradesh
The Congress party wrested power from the BJP, winning 40 out of the 68 seats as the state chose to continue with the “Riwaz”, or tradition, of changing the government after every five years. The BJP won 25 seats and independents got three seats. The AAP drew a blank.
While Chief Minister Jairam Thakur won by a record 36,000-plus votes, the margin of victory was less than 1,000 in eight seats and the Congress won the Bhorang SC) seat by the lowest margin of 60 votes.
Veteran Congress leader and eight-time MLA Kaul Singh Thakur, former Congress minister, and six-time MLA Asha Kumari, and former Congress minister Ram Lal Thakur, all of them eyeing the CM post, were defeated. Champa Thakur, daughter of Kaul Singh who contested from Mandi, too lost the election.
The lone CPI(M) candidate, Rakesh Singha, suffered defeat at the hands of former HPCC president Kuldeep Singh Rathore from Theog constituency. The Congress won seven out of eight seats in the Shimla district, four out of five seats in Solan district, three out of five seats in Sirmaur, four out of five seats each in Una and Hamirpur, and ten out of 15 seats in the Kangra district.
Himachal Pradesh CM: Congress' Battle Within
With Congress winning Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, the next race is now for the Chief Minister with state party president Pratibha Singh being considered a key frontrunner, closely followed by former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing Congress Legislature Party leader Mukesh Agnihotri.
Deciding on the chief ministerial face who can bind the party going forward is the immediate challenge for Congress.
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