Congress to hold meeting of newly-elected Himachal MLAs in Shimla Friday

The Congress, which wrested power from the BJP in Himachal Pradesh, has convened a meeting of all its newly-elected MLAs here on Friday where a resolution is likely to be passed authorising the party president to pick the CLP leader.

The Congress on Thursday won 40 seats in the 68-member Assembly in the hill state which maintained its tradition of not voting any incumbent government to power since 1985.

Deciding on the chief ministerial face who can bind the party going forward is the immediate challenge for the Congress.

State party president Pratibha Singh is considered a key frontrunner for the chief minister's post, closely followed by former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri.

Former Himachal Congress chief Kuldeep Rathore, who won from Theog, said the party observers are reaching here and a meeting of elected MLAs will be held.

Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh, son of late chief minister Virbhadra Singh, told reporters here that ''collective will of MLAs will be kept and then observers will convey the same to the high command''. Replying to a question, Singh said, ''Whatever high command decides will be acceptable to us all''.

''Post is not important for us. What is important is the promises we made to people we have to fulfil them and we are committed to that,'' he said.

To a question, he said the MLAs and the high command have to take decision whom they want to be the next CM. He, however, added soon, we will stake claim to form government and next government will be formed within next 2-3 days.

AICC in-charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla had on Thursday said the Congress was happy that it is getting an opportunity to form the government in the state and asserted that the party will do everything to fulfil the 10 guarantees made to the people of the state and would provide better governance to people.

''The newly-elected Congress MLAs would meet in Shimla on Friday post-election results and decide on electing the new legislature party leader,'' Shukla had told PTI on Thursday.

Sources said the MLAs are likely to pass a one-line resolution authorising Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to decide the CLP leader. This has been the tradition in the Congress party, they said.

The party's two observers -- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader from Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda-- along with Shukla are arriving in the state capital where all the party MLAs have been called.

While Shukla is AICC in charge of Himachal Pradesh, Baghel was appointed senior observer for the polls. PTI BPL/SUN SKC DV DV