Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge hold meetings with 6 aspirants for prez post

Senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge held a one-on-one meeting with six potential candidates for the post of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president. The aspirants included Education Minister Rohit Thakur, AICC spokesperson Kuldeep Rathore, Deputy Speaker Vinay Kumar, Palampur MLA Ashish Butail, Bhoranj MLA Suresh Kumar and Kasauli MLA Vinod Sultanpuri. In all likelihood, the new HPCC president will be chosen from among these aspirants. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and AICC in-charge for Himachal Rajni Patil were also present in the one-on-one interviews of the candidates.

As per the sources, the candidates were given five to 10 minutes to explain their vision for the party and how they would strengthen the party in case they were given the reins of the party. The top brass also asked the candidates how they would ensure party’s win in the upcoming panchayat elections and the 2027 Vidhan Sabha elections. Some candidates were asked who they would recommend for the top post if they were not chosen.

In what has turned out to be a long drawn process to choose the new party chief in the state, this one-on-one interview with the six candidates is being seen as the last step before the party high command makes the decision. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made it clear long time back that he would want an MLA from Scheduled Caste or a minister. Kuldeep Rathore is backed by Patil, while Thakur’s name was proposed for the post by senior ministers of the state.

Following today’s interviews, it is being expected that the names of the new party chief could be announced anytime now.