Himachal Pradesh: PAC an amalgam of Congress factions
Pratibha Chauhan
Shimla, September 15
The Congess central leadership has formed the 25-member Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) to address differences in the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. HPCC president Pratibha Singh has been demanding filling of two vacant ministerial berths and the appointment of her supporters in boards and corporations.
The setting up of the committee comes close on the heels of Pratibha’s meeting with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge two days ago. Pratibha, who is also Mandi MP, talked about the lack of coordination between the party organisation and the government and demanded the filling of the two vacancies in the Cabinet.
The PAC comprises AICC in-charge for Himachal Rajeev Shukla, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, HPCC president Pratibha Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, former Union Minister Anand Sharma, state ministers Dhani Ram Shandil, Chander Kumar and Harshwardhan Chauhan, sitting MLAs Rajinder Rana, Vinay Kumar, Nand Lal, Rajesh Dharmani, Kuldeep Rathore, Ashish Butail, Bhawani Singh Pathania, Ram Kumar Chaudhary and Ravi Thakur, former MP Viplove Thakur, former ministers Kaul Singh Thakur, Ram Lal Thakur, Asha Kumari, Sudhir Sharma, Rangila Ram Rao, Kuldeep Kumar and Thakur Singh Bharmouri.
The party leadership has tried to strike a balance by including leaders belonging to various factions, regions and castes so as to ensure the smooth functioning of the party and coordination with the government.
Pratibha has been seeking adjustment of Virbhadra Singh’s supporters as chairmen and vice-chairmen of various boards and corporations. She has even alleged that leaders owning allegiance to only one faction have been accommodated. Her son Virkramaditya Singh is the Public Works Department Minister (PWD).
Sukhu remained an arch rival of Virbhadra Singh and the latter never accommodated him in his government or government bodies. Sukhu has given representation to his followers, both in the Cabinet as well as in political appointments.
