Sunil Sharma appointed political adviser to Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhu

Dhanbir Thakur, a retired civil servant of Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS), has been appointed as officer on special duty to deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri

After Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took oath as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sunil Sharma was appointed as his political adviser, a government release said.

Sunil Sharma has been appointed political adviser to Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the new chief minister of Himachal Pradesh. (HT Photo)

The release also said that Dhanbir Thakur, a retired civil servant of Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS), has been appointed as officer on special duty to deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri.

The appointments have been made by Himachal Pradesh governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar with immediate effect.

Sukhu took charge as the 15th chief minister of the hill at the state civil secretariat in Shimla on Monday.

He took oath oath at a ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Shimla on Sunday afternoon in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

A loyalist of the Gandhi family, Sukhu, 58, is a four-time MLA and former chief of Congress in the state.

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

The Congress won the November 12 assembly elections in the state, winning 40 seats.