Risen from ranks, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to take oath as Himachal CM today

Shimla, Dec 11 Risen from the ranks with no political dynasty but wide organisational experience, four-time Congress legislator Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, 58, who throughout his political career was not on the same page with party's tallest leader Virbhadra Singh is going to take oath on Sunday as the 15th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.

Four-time legislator Mukesh Agnihotri, 60, will also be taking the oath of office as the Deputy Chief Minister.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the historic Ridge here at 1.30 p.m. that will be attended among others by party's national President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will administer the oath of office and secrecy to them. This will be Sukhu's maiden term as the Chief Minister.

Cabinet expansion will be undertaken later, Congress in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Shukla said.

Belonging to a humble background, Sukhu is the son of a state-run public transport bus driver.

After being elected unanimously by the party's 40 legislators as the Chief Minister on Saturday evening, Sukhu thanked the Gandhi family for giving him this opportunity.

"I am happy that I am going to be the Chief Minister despite being from an ordinary family. I am thankful to the Congress party and the Gandhi family for giving me this opportunity. My mother never stopped me from being in politics. I have reached here today because of her blessings," he said.

He said his government will bring change. "We will work for the development of Himachal Pradesh," Sukhu, who started his political career at the age of 18, told the media in his first statement after being named the new Chief Minister.

In his initial years of his career, Sukhu was running a milk counter in Shimla. He was the general secretary of the state unit of the Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India

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