After getting nod to head the Govt. in Himachal Pradesh, now Virbhadra Singh’s focus has shifted to the formation of the ministry. The Congress has a thin majority, with just 36 legislators and few senior leaders Gangu Ram Musafir, Ram Lal Thakur, Rangila Ram Rao and Vijay Singh Mankotia, who could not be left out, have lost the elections and thus made little bit easy for Virbhadra Singh to accommodate new faces in the cabinet. As for the small states number of ministers was capped at 12 and Kangra which has 10 congress legislatures likely to get a lion’s share in the ministerial berth.
Four times MLA GS Bali, senior Congress campaigner Brij Bihari Butail and Sujan Singh Pathania are front runner and Sudhir Sharma, known close to Virbhadra Singh also can get his nod. From Chamba district, Asha Kumari and Thakur Singh Bharmouri are strong contender, whereas from Una district, Mukesh Agnihotri is looking for the important ministerial berth and Virbhadra will have to decide between former minister Kuldeep Kumar and three times MLA Rakesh Kalia.
Eight times MLA and senior leader Vidya Stokes from Shimla district will be the number two in the ministry. From Mandi district, Kaul Singh Thakur and Anil Sharma are sure to find a place in the ministry. Dhani Ram Shandil from Solan district, Rajesh Dharmani from Bilaspur district, Karan Singh from Kullu district and Jagat Singh Negi from Kinnaur district are the other claimants. In a press conference, Virbhadra Singh has indicated that he has in mind a three-tier ministry, which means that there will be Cabinet ministers, ministers of state and CPSs and it seems that all claimants will get share in the government
