First session of 14th Himachal Assembly cancelled; CM Sukhu tests COVID positive

A day after the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu tested positive for COVID-19, the first session of the 14th Legislative Assembly scheduled to be held on December 22, was cancelled. The Governor of the state, through a notification for 'general information' dated- December 19, said that the seating--the first after the Congress government under Sukhu came to power- has been cancelled. 

"I, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor Himachal Pradesh, exercising powers conferred on me through Article 174 (1) of the Constitution of India, passed a 15-12-2022-dated order via which the first session of the 14th Legislative Assembly of the state was summoned on December 22, in Tapovan, Dharmshala. The same is canceled due to indispensable reasons," roughly read the notification, issued in Hindi. 

Himachal Pradesh gets new government

In line with its tradition of changing governments after every term since 1985, Himachal witnessed Congress wresting power from BJP. The Congress managed to win a clear majority by bagging 40 out of 68 seats. On the other hand, BJP was reduced to a mere 25 seats.

After Congress won the elections in Himachal Pradesh, Pratibha Singh had said the party contested and won in the name of Virbhadra Singh, and claimed the CM post. Besides her, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, a former Himachal Congress president, and Mukesh Agnihotri, the Leader of the Opposition in the state, staked claim to the post. 

Amid the three-way fight, the 40 Congress MLAs in the state passed a one-line resolution, authorising the "high command" to take a decision. Accordingly, a meeting was scheduled at 5 pm on Saturday, in which Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was chosen as CM, and Mukesh Agnihotri as his deputy. While Pratibha Singh was not given any post, the inclusion of her son Vikramaditya to the Cabinet was promised.

On December 11, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took oath as the CM, Mukesh Agnihotri as his Deputy, in the presence of senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul, and Priyanka Gandhi. In his first address post the oath-taking ceremony, the Himachal CM said, "We have given 10 guarantees and we will implement them. We will give transparent and honest government. We will implement OPS (Old Pension Scheme) in the first cabinet meeting."