Himachal CM Sukhu wins over another Virbhadra loyalist as Kewal Pathania appointed Congress chief whip
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TNR Desk
In the eye of storm after the ruling Congress lost the Rajya Sabha election to the lone seat from Himachal Pradesh despite having 40 MLAs compared to 25 of the BJP, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has been continuously making amends and trying to win over disgruntled legislators and those seen associated with rival camps.
After appointing Virbhadra Singh camp loyalist and Rampur (Shimla) Congress MLA Nand Lal as chairman of the 7th State Finance Commission, Chief Minister Sukhu has made Shahpur (Kangra) legislator Kewal Singh Pathania as the party’s chief whip of the Congress Legislative Party in the Assembly.
Having risen from student politics, first-time MLA Kewal has remained president of the National Students’ Union of India in Himachal Pradesh University from 1993-1994. His association with the Virbhadra Singh camp dates back more than two decades when he was a student of Himachal Pradesh University. It is said that Kewal would live in an MLA hostel flat near the Vidhan Sabha that was allotted in Virbhadra Singh’s name.
Former six-term Chief Minister late Virbhadra Singh reportedly played a key role in ensuring the Assembly poll ticket to Kewal from Shahpur in 2017 even as he lost from the same seat in his maiden attempt in 2012. Kewal lost in 2017 as well and won his maiden election in 2022.
In their appointments, both Nand Lal and Kewal, also a member of public accounts and e-governance and general purposes committees, would enjoy cabinet-rank facilities. Before Kewal, Fatehpur (Kangra) MLA Bhawani Singh Pathania was made Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board. He too was accorded cabinet rank.
The appointments are being seen as an attempt to pacify the party MLAs, especially from Kangra district, after the Congress government recently faced a political crisis and a rebellion from six party MLAs who were subsequently disqualified from the Assembly.
