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Soni Mishra
Soni Mishra

SHIMLA

Himachal polls: Virbhadra emerges undisputed leader of party

Virbhadra-Singh-pti - Copy

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh emerged as the undisputed leader of the Congress party ahead of assembly polls in the hill state. From seat allotment to campaign management, the veteran got his way. He even secured a ticket for his son. Barely a day before, the Himachal Congress had put up a united face and assured that factional feuds were a thing of the past. 

Late on Monday night, acceding to a major demand made by Virbhadra, which was seconded by senior leaders from the state, the party high command replaced PCC chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as chairman of the campaign committee, announcing the chief minister in charge of it instead.

The announcement came after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi met Virbhadra, Sukhu, and other leaders of the state individually in New Delhi. The chief minister's longstanding complaint has been that he cannot work alongside Sukhu. He had earlier written to Sonia and Rahul, demanding Sukhu's ouster as the state party chief.

While Sukhu was not removed, Rahul, in a balancing act and in an effort to assuage concerns, declared Virbhadra the chief ministerial candidate. Sukhu was named chairman of the campaign committee.

However, Virbhadra has a clear upper hand in the tussle for one-upmanship in Himachal Congress—he heads the campaign committee and gets greater say in the selection of candidates.

Also, the one-family-one-ticket norm, which was adopted in Punjab elections, will not be in effect in Himachal, and Virbhadra has succeeded in getting a ticket for his son Vikramaditya, who is president of the Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress.

Vikramaditya, it is learnt, will contest from Shimla Rural, which is presently held by his father. Virbhadra, according to sources, has to choose between Theog and Arki.

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