Himachal Pradesh is waiting for its next Chief Minister. Who are the top contenders?

At such a time it is important to note that former Chief Ministers and royals of the hill state, Virbhadra Singh’s wife Pratibha Singh The chief ministerial candidate is considered a frontrunner, followed by former party chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and outgoing CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri.

The immediate challenge for the Congress is to decide on a chief ministerial face who can bind the party in the long run.

Jawali MLA and senior Congress leader Chander Kumar’s name is also doing the rounds in case the party high command gives preference to an OBC candidate. Despite a sizeable presence, the prospect of a Dalit chief minister is rare as politics in Himachal is dominated by upper-caste Rajputs and Brahmins. Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil is one of the strongest Dalit leaders.

Here’s Looking at the Profiles of Congress CM Fronters in Himachal Pradesh

Pratibha Singh, President Himachal Congress, Lok Sabha MP

Himachal Pradesh Congress chief, Lok Sabha MP from Mandi Pratibha Virbhadra Singh is a strong contender to become the next Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

wife of former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh Virbhadra SinghAnd Pratibha Singh, a member of the royal family in the hill state, was made the state unit president of the Congress on 26 April 2022.

The 66-year-old started her political career in 1998 and has been with the BJP in victories and defeats throughout her career.

Singh’s supporters include Himachal He stopped the cars of senior Congress leaders in Shimla on Friday and demanded that he be made the next chief minister. Singh had defeated BJP’s Jai Ram Thakur by a huge margin of 1.39 lakh votes in 2013 and then managed to win the Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll in 2021, when the BJP was in power in the state.

Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Nadaun, Hamirpur

The 58-year-old politician, who was elected to the state assembly for a record fifth time, defeated BJP’s Vijay Agnihotri by a margin of 3,363 votes on Thursday. Sukhu is the second most preferred candidate for the post of CM in Himachal Pradesh.

He started his career as a student leader. Sukhu was made the head of the Congress Campaign Committee by the Grand Old Party’s top command.

Sukhu is opposing the candidature of Pratibha Singh as she is not an elected MLA.

Mukesh Agnihotri, Haroli, Una

Journalist turned politician Mukesh Agnihotri, a Bramhin, as opposed to Rajput Pratibha Singh and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, he is believed to be closer to Priyanka Vadra and Sonia Gandhi.

Agnihotri won his fifth assembly election. He was once a supporter of Virbhadra Singh. He started his political career by contesting the assembly elections in 2003 on a Congress ticket. He was also inducted as a cabinet minister in 2012 by then chief minister Virbhadra Singh. He became the Leader of the Opposition in 2017 when the Congress was split from the BJP.

Chander Kumar, Jawali, Kangra

Chander Kumar is a veteran Congress leader, who has been a cabinet minister for a record five times. Chander Kumar has won Jawali assembly constituency which is part of Kangra district.

In case of no consensus on the names of Pratibha Singh, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu or Mukesh Agnihotri, they can be made the Chief Minister.

Vikramaditya Singh, Shimla (Rural)

Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Himachal chief minister Virbhadra Singh and HPCC chief Pratibha Singh, has been elected as the member of the state assembly for the second time from the Shimla rural assembly constituency.

The only other royalty to have made it to the heaters of Himachal Pradesh’s voters, Vikramaditya is a possible contender for Deputy Chief Minister in the state.