Himachal’s New Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu Says “Have Nothing To Do With” Cupboard Formation

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the brand new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh who took oath earlier right now, has disagreed that the state unit of the Congress is riven with factionalism. “Lobbying occurs, however there isn’t a factionalism within the Congress in Himachal… It was a story by BJP,” he advised NDTV in an unique interview. Even so, he made it clear that he wouldn’t have something to do with the federal government formation. It could be a “problem for Rajiv Shukla (Congress’s in-charge for Himachal Pradesh), he’ll take all the selections,” he stated.

Mr Sukhu, who got here from a humble background however rose by means of the ranks within the Congress, was chosen because the Chief Minister over the claims of Pratibha Singh and Mukesh Agnihotri – the spouse and protégé of Himachal’s six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, an erstwhile royal. There are expectations that the celebration should do a balancing act by providing Pratibha Singh and her son Vikramaditya Singh key seats within the authorities or the celebration. Mukesh Agnihotri took oath right now because the Deputy Chief Minister.

Sources stated Mr Sukhu, 58, had the help of greater than half the Congress MLAs within the state.

However his election was additionally anticipated to ship out a message — that dynastic politics and inherited privileges are on the best way out within the Congress, dovetailing with the election of Mallikarjun Kharge to the highest submit of the celebration.  

His choice was additionally a rebuff to the BJP, which has been making jibes on the Congress. Within the run-up to the elections, Union minister Amit Shah had stated that Mr Sukhu will not get the submit as he’s not “the son or daughter of someone”.

Mr Sukhu, whose father was a bus driver, had as soon as bought milk and began his political journey as a pupil chief. In time, he rose to be a part of Workforce Rahul Gandhi.  

“I’ve risen from a really humble background, it is a second of delight {that a} man like me has been made the Chief Minister,” he advised NDTV right now. “It’s a second of happiness {that a} Congress employee was given this chance. I thank the Congress and the Gandhi household for this,” he added.  

Requested concerning the legacy of Virbhadra Singh, the celebration’s best-known face within the state, Mr Sukhu, who counted the six-time Chief Minister amongst his political rivals, stated: “We are going to take ahead the Congress legacy. It isn’t solely Virbhadra Singh’s legacy however the legacy of different leaders like Yashwant Singh and Ramlal Thakur additionally that we must be taking ahead. The celebration is larger than something.”