According to news agency ANIHimachal Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held today at 3 pm at State Congress Headquarters Rajiv Bhawan.
Himachal Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajeev Shukla, observers Bhupesh Baghel and Bhupendra Hooda will also be present in the meeting.
The legislators are likely to pass a resolution and authorize the party high command to take the final call on the chief minister.
The Congress, which has not projected a chief ministerial candidate in the hill state, was earlier planning a meeting of its legislators in Chandigarh but later changed its plans after getting a clear majority.
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State party president Pratibha Singh is considered the main contender for the chief minister’s post, followed by former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri.
The immediate challenge for the Congress is to decide on a chief ministerial face who can bind the party in the long run.
Though Pratibha Singh did not contest the assembly elections and is not an MLA, she campaigned extensively across the state. Singh is currently the Mandi MP after winning the bypoll from the home district of the outgoing Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.
She is also carrying forward the legacy of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who led the Congress in the state for over four decades.
Party sources claimed that Singh has the support of a majority of MLAs, who owe their allegiance to Virbhadra Singh, the undisputed leader of the Congress in the hill state for long.
Pratibha Singh’s son Vikramaditya has been elected as MLA from Shimla Rural and is also among the hopefuls, even though many consider him too young for the top post.
Other CM candidates are Sukhu, MLA from Nadaun and Agnihotri, elected from Haroli. Both hope that the party high command will recognize his work as a former PCC chief and leader of the Congress Legislature Party.
Agnihotri claims that he as the CLP leader firmly held the party’s position in the state assembly and exposed the “misrule” of the BJP during the past five years. Agnihotri is a Brahmin leader, while Sukhu comes from the dominant Thakur community in the state.
Former PCC chief Kuldeep Singh Rathore, who won from Theog in a multi-cornered contest, is also a contender for the chief minister’s post, claiming that he brought together the factionalized party over the years.
Rathore was replaced as the Himachal unit chief with Pratibha Singh a few months back. Some other candidates like six-time MLA Asha Kumari and former PCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur lost the elections this time.
Meanwhile, some Congress leaders feared attempts of “poaching” by the BJP.
In the results announced on Thursday, the Congress has returned to power in Himachal Pradesh after five years. Riding on the anti-incumbency wave, the Congress won 40 seats in the 68-member assembly.
While the Congress won 40 seats in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP won 25 seats. Independents won three seats and AAP failed to open its account in the state.
In Himachal, in terms of vote share, the Congress is marginally ahead of the BJP, garnering 43.88 per cent votes as against its rival’s 42.99 per cent. Others got 10.4 per cent votes in the hill state. Himachal Pradesh has a long tradition of alternating governments and the Congress was in favor of the anti-incumbency wave.
Jairam Thakur, who won from Seraj seat by defeating Congress rival Chet Ram by a huge margin of 38,183 votes, resigned accepting defeat in the state.
Thakur said, “I want to thank the Prime Minister and the central leadership (for their support) during the last five years. We will stand for the development of the state irrespective of politics. We will analyze our shortcomings and plan for the next term.” Will improve over time.” Media persons in Shimla.
Himachal Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajeev Shukla said the party would implement 10 guarantees in the state.
“It is the victory of the people of the state. People voted for change and against unemployment and inflation. We will be united and there will be no factionalism in our party. We have met party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and discussed our next step discussed,” he said.
Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh said that the people of Himachal Pradesh have given mandate to the party and there is no need to fear.
“We can meet (our MLAs) in Chandigarh or anywhere in the state. Those who win will stay with us and we will form the government,” he said.
She said, “It is a very emotional moment for me as I can see the kind of support from people that late Virbhadra Singh got. Chandigarh is an easy place for MLAs and we are not worried about horse-trading.” Huh.”
(With inputs from ANI)
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