Priyanka Gandhi Likely To Name Himachal Chief Minister: Sources

The final decision over who would serve as the state’s chief minister will be made by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who party leaders have credited with the party’s victory in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, according to reports. This comes after a day of intense drama in the hill state, where competing factions fought for control.
On Friday night, the 40 Congress MLAs in the state approved the party’s customary one-line resolution, giving the “high command” the go-ahead to make a choice. By Sunday, the decision is anticipated.

Along with the newly elected national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi oversaw the party’s campaign in Himachal Pradesh and organised multiple rallies. She was also heavily involved in developing the party’s election strategy. Her leadership in achieving the victory for the party and thwarting the BJP’s electoral apparatus was praised by several other leaders.

Priyanka Gandhi has led the campaign team to its first electoral victory. While she led the canvassing in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, the party lost those elections. Priyanka Gandhi brought up the issues of Agnipath, inflation, unemployment, and the outdated pension plan during her rallies in Sirmour, Kangra, Solan, and Una.

Rajeev Shukla, Bhupinder Hooda, and Bhupesh Baghel, the central overseers, were present for coordination at the MLAs’ meeting late last night. They spoke to each MLA to evaluate who has more support.

The “high command” resolution, however, was only passed after a show of force by Pratibha Singh’s followers, the state’s congresswoman and the stronghold of her family, prior of the summit in Shimla. Pratibha Singh, a three-term MP and the widow of the late politician Virbhadra Singh, an ex-royal, was hounded by party members who shouted chants and even obstructed Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s automobile, insisting that she “deserves the top seat.”Alongside her in the contest are Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Mukesh Agnihotri, both of whom have some support in locales outside of Shimla. Given that today’s meeting was held in Shimla, Pratibha Singh’s support garnered attention.

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