Back from Delhi, Sukhu, Pratibha put up united face

After the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh ran into a crisis when six of its legislators and three independent MLAs voted in favour of BJP’s Harsh Mahajan instead of party nominee Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the February 27 Rajya Sabha elections, the party high command summoned chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and state unit chief Pratibha Singh over the weekend to ensure a united contest in the June 1 Lok Sabha elections.

Central party leaders, including Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, met Sukhu, Pratibha and deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Sunday and heard them out on the candidates for the four Lok Sabha to six assembly seats.

On her return from Delhi, Pratibha said in Shimla: “The message was loud and clear to everyone that the party should contest the elections unitedly, sinking our differences. Central leaders also observed that Mandi is a high-stake battle and the party should pick the right candidate (against BJP’s Kangana Ranaut). Many suggested (her son) Vikramaditya Singh’s name. Now it’s for the central election committee to take a final call.”

“Now Kangana is in the field and it’s obvious that the BJP will put all its might behind her,” she said. Vikramaditya, who is also the state PWD minister, also met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Sunday. “I’ve always given priority to the (party) organisation. It’s the organisation that makes the government, not the other way round,” Pratibha added.

On his part Sukhu said: “Pratibha Singh is the state Congress chief and the elections will be fought under her leadership.” He said the high command had sought his feedback on the political situation in the state and his government’s preparedness for the elections. “The Congress will give tickets keeping in mind winnability and clean image,” Sukhu said.

Priyanka Gandhi had a meeting with the six-member committee set up after the February fiasco for better coordination between the government and the organisation in Himachal Pradesh. The committee comprises Sukhu, Pratibha, Agnihotri, Kaul Singh Thakur, Dhaniram Shandil and Ram Lal Thakur.

The names of the probable candidates were discussed and the shortlisted ones will be put up before the screening committee before they are finalised at the meeting of the central election committee on April 13.