Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister-designate Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said that he is thankful to the Congress and Gandhi family for electing him as the Chief Minister.
Mr Sukhu said that he is happy that despite being from an ordinary family he is going to be the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.
"I am happy that I am going to be CM despite being from an ordinary family. I am thankful to the Congress party and the Gandhi family for giving me this opportunity. My mother never stopped me from being in politics. I have reached here today because of her blessings," said Mr Sukhu.
On being asked about Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh's discontentment, the Chief Minister designate said "No such discontentment is there".
Earlier, the supporters of Pratibha Singh had raised slogans demanding that she should be made the Chief Minister.
Mr Sukhu received a warm welcome from his supporters in Shimla on Saturday.
Mr Sukhu, 58, lauded Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi after his election and said the party will fulfill its poll promises. He said the new government will "bring change".
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu will take oath as the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.
He is a grassroots politician who has risen from the ranks and has wide organizational experience in the hill state.
A four-time MLA, Sukhu, 58, is a former chief of Congress in the state and has been part of NSUI and Youth Congress.
He was the party's state unit president from 2013 to 2019 and spoke his mind even if it was not to the liking of the party's tall leader Virbhadra Singh, a six-time Chief Minister.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been in favour of promoting and grooming younger Congress leaders in Himachal Pradesh.
Affable and approachable, Mr Sukhu has a wide network in the hill state due to his long years in the organisation.
A loyalist of the Gandhi family, Mr Sukhu belongs to a middle-class family. He was active in politics from his student days and fought elections as an NSUI candidate. He was president of NSUI and the Indian Youth Congress in the state.
He fought and won elections for Shimla Municipal Corporation. Mr Sukhu won the assembly election for the first time in 2003 from Nadaun.
He will be the second chief minister from Hamirpur district after BJP's Prem Kumar Dhumal.
Congress won the assembly polls in the state and got 40 seats.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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