SHIMLA: Just after Congress announced Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as the next chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Congress state president Pratibha Singh said that she accepts the high command’s decision.
While coming out of the Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting on Saturday, Pratibha Singh told reporters, “We accept the decision taken by Congress high command.”
Earlier on Saturday, the former Himachal Congress chief was selected as the chief minister of the state by the party high command, after the CLP meeting. Congress leader Mukesh Agnihotri was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister. The meeting included leaders like state president Pratibha Singh, CM-designate Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, outgoing CM Bhupesh Baghel, Congress state in-charge Rajeev Shukla, leader Bhupinder Yadav and several others.
After speculations made rounds about Sukhu’s appointment as chief minister, supporters of Pratibha Singh, wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, came out and raised slogans near the hotel where the central observers are staying.
On Friday as well, the supporters of Pratibha Singh gathered outside the Congress Shimla headquarters in huge numbers and demanded her appointment as Chief Minister of the state. They said the Chief Minister should be like ‘Rani Sahiba’, a reference to Pratibha Singh as she is married into the erstwhile royal family of Rampur Bushahr.
Virbhadra Singh, who passed away last year, had been chief minister several times and was a dominant political leader of the state. Pratibha Singh has said that the legacy of her late husband and his goodwill among people was a major factor in the Congress victory in the state.
The Congress won the Assembly polls in the state and got 40 seats. (ANI)