Himachal, Gujarat Govt Formation Updates: Lobbying But No Factionalism in Himachal Cong, Says CM Sukhu, Promises to Implement OPS in First Cabinet Meet

In a big statement on the Congress leadership, newly-inducted Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday commented on the party leadership and admitted there is lobbying but no factionalism in it. Sukhu’s statement came not so long after he was sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. In an interview with NDTV, Sukhu said, “Yes, there is lobbying in the state Congress leadership but there is no factionalism. It is only a narrative being spread by the BJP.”

Newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday received his mother on the occasion of an oath ceremony in Shimla and bowed down to touch her feet to seek her blessings. Himachal Pradesh CM designate Sukhu received his mother Sansar Devi at Sanjauli helipad, ahead of his swearing-in ceremony in Shimla today. (ANI)

A total of 151, or 83 per cent, of the 182 MLAs elected in the recent Assembly polls in Gujarat are ‘crorepatis’ (worth over Rs 1 crore), up from 141 in the 2017 polls, as per a study conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Gujarat Election Watch. The study showed the ruling BJP has 132 crorepati MLAs, followed by 14 of the Congress, all three Independents, and one each of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Samajwadi Party. (PTI)

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Congress colleague Sachin Pilot, who have been locked in a turf war, flew together to Shimla to attend the swearing-in of Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu as Himachal Pradesh CM on Sunday, with the party asserting they were “united”. All party leaders are “united” and the two leaders travelling together was not just for photographs, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh told reporters.

A nameplate of the new Himachal Pradesh chief minister was installed at the CM Secretariat in Shimla on Sunday. Senior Congress leader Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu took oath as the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister on Sunday. Sukhu was unveiled as the party’s CM face after the high-command on Saturday picked him as the leader of the legislature party. Sukhu, who climbed the political ladder up from grassroots in Himachal Pradesh, took oath as the 15th Chief Minister of the hill state at a ceremony in Shimla. (ANI)

The decisive move on new leadership in Himachal Pradesh notwithstanding, the Congress has its task cut out in the hill state as it faces the twin challenge of keeping factional fighting at bay and delivering on ambitious poll promises. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and his deputy will be bracing for a bumpy ride ahead, with the first hurdle being the cabinet formation that reflects the interests of competing pressure groups in the party, principally the one led by incumbent state chief Pratibha Singh. (PTI)

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Sunday congratulated Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on being sworn in as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh. “India has been my home for more than 62 years now and I have been happy to reside most of that time here in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Consequently, I often refer to the chief minister as ‘our chief minister’,” the Dalai Lama wrote.

A journalist-turned-politician, Mukesh Agnihotri is the Brahmin face of the Congress in Himachal Pradesh and with his elevation to the post of deputy chief minister, the party hopes to sustain the community’s support. The leader of opposition in the outgoing Assembly, Agnihotri, 60, was one of the frontrunners for the post of chief minister. But the party picked Nadaun MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu for the top post and him as his deputy. (PTI)

Bhupendra Patel is all set to be sworn in as the new Gujarat chief minister, to continue another BJP term after the saffron party’s resounding success in the state. The party had shown faith in Patel as the party’s face for the Gujarat elections, and political experts over time have assigned a variety of reasons why the saffron party has stuck with its choice in Gujarat. READ MORE

As many as 40 newly-elected MLAs in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly have criminal cases pending against them as per their election affidavits, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the Gujarat Election Watch. Of these 40 MLAs, 29 members (16 per cent of a total 182) are facing serious criminal cases, such as the attempt to murder and rape, the ADR analysis showed. Among the 29 members, 20 belong to BJP, four to Congress, two are from Aam Aadmi Party, two are Independents, and one is from Samajwadi Party. (PTI)

Four-time MLA and 58-year-old Congress leader Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu was sworn in as the 15th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday. Prominent party leaders like Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Rahul Gandhi attended his oath-taking ceremony in Shimla. READ MORE

Congress leader Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, a four-time MLA, was on Sunday sworn in as the 15th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh in a ceremony attended by senior party figures including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Sukhu, 58, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at a ceremony under the open sky at the historic Ridge ground here.

Mukesh Agnihotri, the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly, was administered the oath as the deputy chief minister.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also attended the ceremony. Union minister Anand Sharma, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Congress Himachal Pradesh in-charge Rajeev Shukla, state Congress chief Pratibha Singh and senior leader Sachin Pilot were also present. (PTI)