Sukhu Cabinet to have more faces soon
Seven-Month-old Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s nine-member cabinet is likely to have more induction soon as three new faces are being manhunt for the filling of the rest vacant posts of the cabinet.
According to a senior party functionary, the AICC has been succeeding to draw a consensus on the two new members of the cabinet including a three-time member of Ghumarwin Assembly Rajesh Dharmani, and a Two-time member of assembly from Jaisinghpur of Kangra Mr. Yadvender Goma. However, the party could not shortlist among the former minister Sudhir Sharma from Dharmshala Assembly and three-time MLA Rajinder Rana from the Sujanpur Assembly. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Party state chief Pratibha Singh, and senior Congress leader Kaul Singh Thakur have met with the party president Malikarujan Kharge recently but they could not able to shortlist the third member for the induction. It is worthwhile to mention here that Congress President is pressing on the name of Sudhir Sharma and Rajinder Rana for induction in the council of ministers. According to a party insider, AICC is not willing to induct Mr. Sharma. Loyalty toward Congress of Mr. Sharma is doubtful as it considers Mr. Sharma in touch with BJP and fence-sitters. The party is ready to induct Mr Rana but it would disbalance the district equation and Hamirpur Lok Sabha including CM, Deputy CM, and two more cabinet members. Barring Jagat Singh Negi party have only one cabinet member in the council of minister.
The party president Pratibha Singh is likely to go to Delhi on Tuesday to further discuss the issue and after the consensus three more faces to be inducted soon. There are three more post-laying vacant in Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha which is equal to the cabinet rank as Congress has to fill up the post of Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip, and Deputy Whip. Party likely to induct the one-time MLA Chandershaikhar from Dharmpur assembly as Chief whip or deputy speaker in the upcoming Monsoon session.
The congress could not ignore the district and party faction equation any longer as the party has to face the Lok Sabha election next year. According to some party survey conducted by an agency hired by the grand old party for the Karnataka election forecast debacle of Congress in all the four LS seats in Himachal Pradesh is a warning sign for the Sukhu Government.
Quoting Mr. Sukhu about the cabinet induction local media report says that he has confirmed the induction of three more ministers soon. However, according to party insiders the dissension with the Congress state president the party could not finalize all three names however there is broad consensus on Mr Dharmani and Goma. The government has indicated that it would go for induction before the end of this month. This would be the Third induction in the Sukhu Government in the last seven months.
Congress could not afford to lose any Lok Sabha seat from Himachal Pradesh in 2024 and therefore political pressure could be mounted on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to ensure the fulfillment of ten guarantees as it could complete only one guarantee of OPS which is also facing several hurdles due to denial of center to refunds the NPS contribution of state tunes to Rs 9000 Crore.
