Punjab model in HP, rebel is Cong chief

As she had done in Punjab, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has nominated a dissident, Viplav Thakur, as the state unit chief in Himachal Pra...

As she had done in Punjab, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has nominated a dissident, Viplav Thakur, as the state unit chief in Himachal Pradesh.

Former MLA Thakur, who is chairperson of the state Commission for Women, replaces Kuldeep Kumar, a protege of CM Virbhadra Singh.

Sources said Thakur — a confidante of Himachal Rural Development Minister Sat Mahajan — was dissident Energy Minister Vidya Stoke’s second choice for the post. Stokes, who was replaced as state unit chief by Kumar in November last year, had wanted the post for former minister Vijay Singh Mankotia, a known Singh-baiter.

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After Kumar said he would rather give up his party post than his position as Industries Minister, Chief Minister Singh pushed for the OBC Lok Sabha MP from Kangra, Chander Kumar, and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Thakur Singh Bharmouri as state unit chiefs. Bharmouri is a Scheduled Tribes member. Singh had appointed Kuldeep Kumar in Stokes’ place last year, saying Kumar would help Congress reach out to Himachal’s 15 per cent Dalit population being a Dalit himself.

But, aware that he was not getting his way this time around, Singh promptly accepted Thakur’s name as Congress chief because Mankotia would have made things tough for him.

Singh had eased Mankotia out of the Cabinet with two other ministers using the law on downsizing of ministries.