Shimla: Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, the next Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh will take oath on Sunday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced yesterday after prolonged consultations with all the stakeholders in the party and taking the cue from the Congress 'high command'. Mukesh Agnihotri, who was one of the claimants for the top job, will be Sukhu's deputy, he said.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Sukhwinder Sukhu said it was his responsibility to fulfil the poll promises made by Congress. "I am thankful to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and the people of the state. Our government will bring change. It is my responsibility to fulfil the promises we made to the people of Himachal Pradesh. We have to work for the development of the state," he said.
"Deputy CM designate Mukesh Agnihotri and I will work as a team. I started my political career at the age of 17. I will never be able to forget what the Congress party has done for me," added Sukhu.
Here are the top 5 factors that worked for Sukhu, paving the way for him to be the next Himachal Chief Minister:
- Congress insiders revealed Sukhu has the support of the majority of the MLAs. Although Sukhu, a former State Congress president does not have any administrative experience, his being the chairman of the state campaign committee and his strong support base from his constituency (Hamirpur) that lies in the lower Himachal region, has led to him becoming the Chief Minister.
- Sukhu comes from a modest family. He had once sold milk and his father was a bus driver. He rose through the ranks of the Congress party starting out as a student activist, then heading the Youth Congress, and then finally as the state unit chief. Appointing him as the CM designate fits well into the Congress' newly formulated strategy of rewarding 'self-made' personalities for top positions, the latest one being Mallikarjun Kharge who was recently appointed the Congress President.
- Sukhu has also been close to the Gandhi family and is considered young by political standards (he is 58) when compared to Pratibha Singh (66), one of the top contenders for the CM post. Sukhu's loyalty to Congress 'high command' is time tested as he has stuck to the party for decades.
- Sukhwinder being a Thakur helps the Congress' caste math in the state. Thakurs constitute one-third of the state's population and are seen to be politically dominant. Virbhadra Singh, Congress' stalwart figure in Himachal was a Thakur as well. Mukesh Agnihotri, who has been appointed as his deputy is a Brahmin. Brahmins are politically dominant in the state as well and play a key role in garnering votes. Thus not heeding the royalty in the hill state will apparently not upset the sentiments within the Congress ranks.
- Congress is fighting hard to get rid of the image of 'dynasty-based politics' that has been pointed out by the BJP time and again. Not appointing Pratibha Singh, often referred to as 'Rani' (she is the wife of late 'Raja' Virbhadra Singh, an erstwhile princely state ruler of Rampur-Bushahr), to the top post helps the Congress to shed off this image and works well with the young Gandhis.
