Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): On January 11, newly selected Himachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu allotted portfolios to the Ministers, with former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s son Vikramaditya Singh getting the Public works, Youth, and Sports departments and Dhani Ram Shandil from Solan constituency was given the charge of the Health and Family Welfare, Social Justice and Empowerment, Labour and Employment Departments. While Vikramaditya is the youngest member of the cabinet, Shandil is said to be the eldest.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar distributed the portfolios on the advice of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu three days after the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-inducted Ministers.
Vikramaditya Singh is the son of the former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Late Virbhadra Singh. His mother is Pratibha Singh, a Member of Parliament from Mandi, Lok Sabha Constituency.
The Chief Minister has retained the charges of Finance, Home, Planning, Personnel, and all other departments not allotted to any other Minister, with himself, while Jal Shakti Vibhag, Transport, Language, Arts and Culture were given to Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri. Shandil was made the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister of the hill State.
Chander Kumar MLA from Jawali Constituency, kangra, was given the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry departments, while Harshwardhan Chauhan from sirmaur has been given the Industries, Parliamentary Affairs and Ayush portfolios.
Jagat Singh Negi from the tribal kinnaur district has been given the Departments of Revenue, Horticulture and Tribal development, while former Chief Minister Thakur Ram Lal’s grandson Rohit Thakur from shimla district has got the Elementary, Technical Education and Vocational and Industrial training portfolios. Anirudh Singh will be the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister.
On December 8, after a close see-saw battle for the Himalayan state, the Congress won the Assembly polls, bagging 40 seats to the BJP’s 25. However, the difference between the two parties in terms of vote share was less than 1 per cent.
