Shahpur MLA Kewal Pathania is chief whip

Shahpur MLA Kewal Singh Pathania has been appointed chief whip, a cabinet rank, according to an order issued on Wednesday by the assembly.

The move is seen as to pacify the party MLAs from Kangra district, after the Congress government recently faced a political crisis. Earlier, Fatehpur MLA Bhawani Singh Pathania was given cabinet rank and appointed deputy chairperson of the planning board .

Kewal, who is also a member of public accounts and e-governance and general purposes committees, lost in assembly elections twice before being elected MLA from Shahpur in 2022.

Kewal rose from student politics and has remained president of National Students’ Union of India in Himachal Pradesh University from 1993-1994.