Congratulation poured in from all sections of the society to the Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh on his arrival at Shimla from New Delhi today. The Chief Minister was accorded warm welcome at Annadale Helipad, his official residence, Oak Over and on reaching Secretariat. People gathered in numbers to congratulate Shri Virbhadra Singh on impressive victory of Congress candidate Smt. Pratibha Singh in Mandi Parliamentary Constituency bye-election, which is second largest constituency in the country.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Virbhadra Singh said that credit for this resounding victory goes to Central leadership headed by UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Congress Vice President Shri Rahul Gandhi, Voters of Mandi Parliamentary Constituency and Congress workers who had worked relentlessly to ensure smooth victory. He thanked people of the State for reposing faith in the policies and programmes of both Centre and State Governments and development works taken up during the past six months.
Chief Minister said that he had personally taken up the matter of providing liberal financial assistance to the rain-ravaged State and especially for the most affected Kinnaur district with the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister Sh. Sushil Kumar Shinde, Vice Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Montaik Singh Ahluwalia and other related ministries of Government of India during his Delhi visit.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister Smt. Vidya Stokes, Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri Kaul Singh Thakur, MPP and Power Minister Shri Sujan Singh Pathania, Industries Minister Shri Mukesh Agnihotri, Excise & Taxation Minister Shri Prakash Chaudhary, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Col. (Retd.) Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Shri Anil Sharma, Deputy Speaker, H.P. Vidhan Sabha Shri Jagat Singh Negi, MLAs Sh. Kuldeep Kumar and Shri Mansa Ram, former Minister Shri Gangu Ram Musafir, Chairman H.P. State Cooperative Bank Shri Harsh Mahajan, Chairman, H.P. State Pollution Control Board Shri Kuldeep Singh Pathania, State INTUC President and Chairman, H.P. Building and Other Constructions Workers Welfare Board Bawa Hardeep Singh, President District Shimla Rural Congress Shri Kehar Singh Khachi, former Deputy Mayor M.C. Shimla and Member Executive Council HPU Shri Harish Janratha, Councillors, office bearers of Singh Sabha Shimla and others were present in large number on the occasion.