Virbhadra to take oath as Chief Minister on Dec.25

Virbhadra Singh, who steered
Congress to power in Himachal
Pradesh, will be sworn in as Chief
Minister for the sixth time in a
function at historic Ridge ground in
Shimla on December 25.
Governor Urmilla Singh has invited
the 78-year-old Congress leader to
form government and take oath on
December 25.
Mr. Singh, however, would take oath
alone and constitute the council of
ministers later after consulting the
party high command.
Mr. Singh had a long meeting with
AICC general secretary Janardan
Dwivedi, who was deputed as
observer by the party high command
for Congress Legislature Party (CLP),
last evening and discussed several
important issues.
Mr. Singh, after the election as CLP
leader, told media persons that his
ministry would be a three-tier one
and “fully representative”.
“All sections and regions, young and
old would be included in the
ministry,” he added.
When asked about the next speaker
of the state assembly, Mr. Singh said
he has three persons in mind but
would not divulge the names at this
time.
Congress has 36 MLAs in the 68-
member house and one independent
MLA has extended unconditional
support to Singh.
Mr. Singh was Chief Minister
between 1983 and 85; 1985 and 1990;
1993 and 1998 and 2003 and 2007.
In his five-decade long political
innings, he has been a seven-time
MLA, a five-time MP and five-time
Chief Minister.
He has also been a four-time
president of the State Congress and
represents the Mandi seat in the
present Lok Sabha.