No discussion with party high command on new Himachal Congress chief: Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said no discussions were held about the new state Congress party chief during his recent meeting with the party's national level leaders in Delhi. Sukhu arrived here at the wedding ceremony of the son of Kangra Central Cooperative (KCC) Bank Chairman and former MLA Kuldeep Pathania.

There have been discussions with Congress party in-charge of Himachal Pardesh Rajni Patil on the expansion of the executive, he told reporters on the sidelines of the private function.

Pratibha Singh is the president of Himachal Pradesh Congress. The executive will be formed first and it will be followed by deciding the future policy, he added.

Singh is the wife of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh and mother of Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh.

Sukhu said Patil had held discussions with all the ministers, MLAs and workers on the expansion of the executive.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had on November 6 dissolved the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) of Himachal Pradesh along with the district and block units with immediate effect. All the same, Pratibha Singh stayed in her post.

Sukhu said the preparation of the Budget is in progress. The year 2025-26 Budget will be presented on March 17.