Congress faces first roadblock in Himachal, Virbhadra's wife flexes muscles for CM post; her supporters stop convoy

The Congress may have managed to return to power in Himachal Pradesh, but is already facing its roadblock even before forming the government in the hill state. Late party veteran and six-time CM Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh has staked claim to the top post.

“We’ll see when the CM’s name is announced. (But) the party cannot neglect this family. This election has been fought in his name. It is not possible that you use his (Virbhadra) name and face, and then neglect him after the results. This is something that the party high command will not do,” she told the media at her residence. 

On Friday evening, the state Congress chief Pratibha Singh’s supporters gathered outside Oberoi Cecil Hotel in Shimla showcasing their support to her while stopping Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s convoy. 

In a video, the workers were seen surrounding Baghel's car and raising slogans in favour of Pratibha Singh, a Congress MP who led the party's Himachal Pradesh campaign but didn't contest the polls. 

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: State Congress chief Pratibha Singh's supporters gathered outside Oberoi Cecil hotel in Shimla showcasing their support to her while stopping Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's carcade. pic.twitter.com/jzGV2MmUud

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2022

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. 

Hours before the party’s crucial meeting to decide on the Himachal CM, Pratibha Singh staked her claim to the job with a sharp reminder to the Gandhis. Ahead of a meeting of top central leaders and MLAs this afternoon, Pratibha Singh said: “There is no groupism and everybody is with us.”

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.

Some other hopefuls like six-time MLA Asha Kumari and former PCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur lost the election this time.

Interestingly, several Congress leaders had contested the elections in the hope that they would be the party's chief ministerial face. This even helped them garner enough support in their respective constituencies.

During the election campaign, Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders had taken a swipe at the Congress over its chief minister-hopefuls.