Kaul Singh Thakur named Himachal State Congress President for Second Term

Shimla: With Kaul Singh Thakur being renamed state president by Congress today; it came as a major setback for both the Virbhara Singh and Vidya Stokes camp, who had been lobbying for other candidates so as to replace the incumbent.

Congress spokesman Kuldeep Rathore said, “The party high command has announced Kaul Singh Thakur as state party president for another term.”

Insiders revealed that it was after overcoming intense lobbying by various groups that the party decided to retain the congress chief in the state.

Union steel minister and five time chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who had earlier indicated that a change in the party state leadership was needed had come around to saying that the party should be united in fighting the ruling party.

“Since the party’s state unit had passed a unanimous resolution authorizing the party high command to decide who should be state president, anybody assigned the task is acceptable to all of us,” he had told the media earlier.

Though initially having supported the candidature of Kaul Singh, the Stokes camp is said to have changed track midway and were reported to be lobbying for other candidates.

However, Kaul Singh is said to have had the backing of union commerce minister Anand Sharma, a view that has prevailed upon others.

The re-appointed state congress president could not be contacted, despite repeated calls on his mobile number.

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.

In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.