Himachal Pradesh (HP) Congress MLAs on Friday passed a one-line resolution authorising party national president Mallikarjun Kharge to take a final call on the CM’s name.
Earlier, the MLAs met during a meeting held in the presence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and state Congress in-charge Rajeev Shukla here.
These leaders also met MLAs one by one to take feedback on the CM candidate. Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee President and Mandi MP Pratibha Singh was also present on the occasion.
The meeting that started at 8 pm went for more than 90 minutes.
Rajeev Shukla told the media persons later that all 40 MLAs were present in the meeting and the high command will take the final call on the next CM of HP.
After the Congress won a majority in HP, the factionalism war for the Chief Minister’s post came out in the open, with party supporters divided in two camps sloganeering for their candidates.
Pratibha Singh, wife of former CM Virbhadra Singh, and fourth-time winner and former party chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu are front runners for the top post.
The supporters of Pratibha Singh and Sukhu raised slogans outside the Congress office too. Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri is also being seen as a contender for the post.
The Congress won 40 seats in the 68-member legislative assembly in Himachal Pradesh. Earlier in the day, Baghel, Hooda and Shukla met the Governor to inform him of staking the claim to form the government in the state.
Supporters of Pratibha Singh had even blocked and stopped the convoy of Baghel outside Hotel Oberoi Cecil in Shimla.