After intense lobbying and parlays, 58-year-old Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu , was elected as leader of Congress Legislature Party at Shimla on Saturday.
Sukha was elected for the fourth time as MLA from Nadaun in Hamirpur district.
The other contender for the post—Mukesh Agnihotri,60, will be his deputy.
This is for the first time that the state will have a deputy Chief Minister.
Earlier, meeting of the new MLAs was convened in the state assembly complex. After a series of consultations held with two principal contenders all through the day on Saturday, Sukhu’s name was announced for CM’s post.
The other contender for CM's post Pratibha Singh had already lost the race last evening owing to Congress’s poor show in Mandi—where the BJP could win nine out of 10 seats in the district.
Besides, Singh being a sitting MP and not member of the state assembly, is also believed to have worked against her.
A handful supporters of PCC Pratibha Singh continued to raise slogans outside the venue of the meeting.
Earlier, there was a high drama in Shimla in front of the Congress high command observers as supporters of Pratibha Singh had raised noisy slogans in her favour.
On Friday late night, the MLAs, at the behest of Rajeev Shukla--adopted a one-line resolution authorising the party high command to take a decision on the choice of Chief Minister.
However, the issue was later raised with Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who had campaigned in the state.
It is said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi also decided to go ahead with Sukhu as CM.
Two Congress observers— Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, besides party incharge Rajeev Shukla had been camping in Shimla for past 24 hours, who finally clinched the final deal.
Who is Sukhwinder Sukhu?
Sukhu was born in a humble rural family. His father was a HRTC bus driver. He has an unblemished career as Congress youth activist and later as a legislator.
Sukha is a law graduate from Himachal Pradesh University. The unknown fact about Sukhu’s life has been that he sold milk to fund his studies.
He has been NSUI president for nine years and state youth Congress chief for 10 years, before becoming Congress state president for more than five years.
Sukhu has also been a two time councillor of Shimla Municipal Corporation.
Oath taking ceremony tomorrow at 11am:
Chhattisgarh CM and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel announced that oath taking ceremony of new Himachal Pradesh CM will take place at 11 am.
