Pratibha Virbhadra Singh, the leader of the Himachal Pradesh Congress and a strong candidate for the position of Chief Minister following the party’s victory in the state, announced on Sunday that she would be there for Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu’s oath taking ceremony.
The Congress high command chose Sukhu as the leader of the Himachal legislative assembly on Saturday, one day after the legislative party meeting held following a day-long political drama over the chief ministerial face passed a resolution authorising the high command to make the final decision on the chief minister. Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, the proposed chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, met Pratibha Virbhadra Singh, the state congress leader, at her residence.
Following the meeting, Pratibha said that it is her “prime duty” to take part in the oath-taking ceremony which will take place today afternoon.
“Why won’t I attend his oath-taking ceremony? Of course, I will go. It is my prime duty to be there with him as he takes oath as CM today,” she said.
The outgoing Assembly’s opposition leader, Mukesh Agnihotri, will take an oath to serve as the deputy chief minister.
According to Raj Bhavan sources, the oath-taking ceremony will take place on Sunday at 1.30 pm.
The Congressman expressed his gratitude to the Congress and the Gandhi family for providing him with this chance after being named Chief Minister.
Sukhu expressed his happiness at being chosen to serve as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh despite coming from an ordinary background.
I am happy that I am going to be CM despite being from an ordinary family. I am thankful to the Congress party and the Gandhi family for giving me this opportunity. My mother never stopped me from being in politics. I have reached here today because of her blessings,” said Sukhu.
Sukhu is a grassroots politician who has risen from the ranks and has wide organisational experience in the hill state.
Sukhu was chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee for the assembly elections in which the party focused on local issues and made lucrative promises including an old pension scheme.
He will be the second chief minister from Hamirpur district after BJP’s Prem Kumar Dhumal.
Congress won the Assembly polls in the state, winning 40 seats.