Kangra district makes govt, but not CM

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, December 11

Kangra has been a kingmaker since 1990. Any party that has nine or 10 MLAs in Kangra makes the government. However, the district has been able to get only one Chief Minister, Shanta Kumar, in 1990 and 1977.

MLAs had made claim for CM post

• Kangra MLAs had made attempt to claim the CM’s post
• Some senior leaders had tried to rope in 10 MLAs and make a claim before the party high command for top post
• They reportedly proposed the name of seniormost leader Chander Kumar for the post, who has won from Jawali
• After their attempt failed, most leaders aligned with Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

This time also, the Congress has got 10 MLAs from Kangra and formed government in the state.

Sources here said that the Kangra MLAs had made an attempt to claim the CM’s post this time. Some senior leaders from Kangra had tried to rope in 10 MLAs and make a claim before the party high command for the top post.

The sources said they proposed the name of seniormost leader Chander Kumar for the post. Kumar, a former MP and minister, has won from Jawali.

They said that Kumar, who is an OBC leader, was not considered due to caste combinations by the party.

However, after their attempt to stake claim for the CM post failed, most of these Congress leaders aligned with Sukhvinder Sukhu.

The sources said though Kangra had again missed the chance, the leaders were eyeing the posts of minister.

Owing to the fact that there were 10 MLAs, the district was likely to get four berths in the Cabinet.

Among the top contenders for the berths of minister are Chander Kumar, former minister Sudhir Sharma, who represents Dharamsala, Raghubir Singh Bali, AICC secretary, who represents Nagrota, and Ashish Butail, Congress MLA from Palampur.