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Himachal CM race: Pratibha Singh's supporters protest as CLP meets | VIDEO
Himachal Pradesh Election result: The Congress won 40 of the state's 68 seats to return to power; the ruling BJP won 25.
There is trouble brewing for the Congress in Himachal Pradesh as the party looks to name a new chief minister for the state it claimed in Thursday's Assembly election. Ex state unit boss Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is expected to be named to that post but current chief Pratibha Singh's supporters are protesting and campaigning on her behalf.
A video shared by news agency ANI showed a large crowd - reportedly her loyalists - shouting vociferously in Shimla, where the Congress' new legislature party is meeting to decide on a chief minister's name.
Sources told news agency PTI Sukhu, 58, has been cleared for the job and will likely take oath on Sunday. He will have one deputy, although the identity of that deputy is unclear. Some reports indicate it will be outgoing CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, while others suggest it will be Vikramaditya Singh.
Vikramaditya Singh is Pratibha Singh's son and his father is Virbhadra Singh, one of the state's tallest leaders and a six-time former Cong chief minister.
On Friday a similar protest was held by a mob believed to consist of Pratibha Singh's supporters as they blocked Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel's car in Shimla; he was one of three top names sent by the Congress HQ.
READ | Pratibha Singh's supporters' show of strength in Cong's HP CM race
Baghel - then on his way to meeting with Pratibha Singh and other leaders - told reporters 'there is no question of neglecting anyone...'
READ | Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu may be Himachal CM, announcement soon
The comment was seen as a response to Pratibha Singh's statements.
Hours after it was apparent that the party was set to return to power in the hill state (and on occasions after), Singh said the Congress had 'won this poll in the name of the late Virbhadra Singh' and declared it 'can't neglect his family'.
Pratibha Singh - a Lok Sabha MP from Mandi - did not contest. This means she must win an Assembly seat within six months if she is named CM.
Her son, though, is an elected MLA, and can be chosen. Vikramaditya Singh won his father's Shimla (rural) seat. He, though, is batting for his mother.
READ | 'Can't neglect him...': Late CM's wife as Cong selects new Himachal CM
However, in a dramatic plot twist earlier today, media reports indicated Pratibha Singh had been ruled out of contention because she did not have support.
Sukhwinder Singh, a three-time MLA from Nadaun, reports indicated, did.
Sukhu, though, played down the buzz, telling reporters earlier today, "I am not yet aware of the decision of the high command. I am going to the meeting..."
Congress MLAs passed a resolution Friday authorising the high command to select the next leader of the legislature party and, therefore, the chief minister.
The Congress won 40 of the state's 68 seats to return to power in the hill state, which traditionally votes out the incumbent government. The BJP got 25 seats and independent candidates picked up the remaining constituencies.
