Intense lobbying witnessed within Congress for Himachal Pradesh CM's post

Intense lobbying continued for the chief minister's post on Saturday, a day after the newly elected Congress MLAs unanimously passed a resolution authorising the party president to pick the legislature party leader.

From the morning itself, Congress MLAs made a beeline to Cecil Hotel in Shimla where the party's central observers -- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda -- were staying.

Even after winning the assembly polls with a clear mandate, the Congress is finding it difficult to fill the void created by the death of six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh and reach a consensus on the legislature party leader who will become the CM.

Several leaders including state Congress Chief Pratibha Singh, leader of the opposition in the outgoing Assembly Mukesh Agnihotri and head of the election campaign committee Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, who are believed to be the frontrunners for the top post, met the observers ...