PM Modi congratulates Himachal CM, assures 'all possible cooperation' from Centre

The elevation of grassroots leader Sukhu marks a generational shift in the state Congress which has been under the shadow of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh.

New Delhi, Dec 11:

congratulated Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu after he took oath as the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister on Sunday.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said; "Congratulations to Shri Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu Ji on taking oath as Himachal Pradesh CM. I assure all possible cooperation from the Centre to further the development of Himachal Pradesh."

Earlier, four-time Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, a son of a bus driver, was sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday at a ceremony here attended by a galaxy of senior party leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Sukhu, a former president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, is a four-term legislator and is considered close to party leader Rahul Gandhi.

The elevation of grassroots leader Sukhu marks a generational shift in the state Congress which has been under the shadow of former chief minister Virbhadra Singh.

Rising through the ranks, he was a relentless fighter and remained the party's state unit president for a record six years from 2013 to 2019 despite being frequently at loggerheads with Virbhadra Singh, a six-time chief minister. He won the assembly election for the first time in 2003 from Nadaun in Hamirpur district, retained the seat in 2007 but was defeated in 2012 and won again in 2017 and 2022. '

Sukhu will be the first Congress leader from Lower Himachal -- comprising areas merged in Himachal in 1966 such as Nalagarh, Una, Hamirpur, Kangra and lower hills of Kullu -- to occupy the top post.

He will be the second chief minister from Hamirpur district, after BJP's Prem Kumar Dhumal.

The Congress wrested power from the BJP in the hill state winning 40 of the 68 assembly seats. The polling was held on November 12 and the results were declared Thursday.