Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister-designate Virbhadra Singh today met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and finalised a list of 13 Cabinet ministers who would be taking oath along with him tomorrow in Shimla. The second contender for the Chief Minister’s post, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Vidya Stokes, would be accommodated in the Cabinet.‘‘The government would be sworn in in two phases. Some will be inducted tomorrow while others after the Budget session,’’ Virbhadra said today.Stokes had come to Delhi on Monday to meet Sonia where her options were extensively discussed. While the Congress Legislative Party in Himachal has a majority of Virbhadra’s supporters, Stokes is known for her proximity to the party high command.On the question of creation a post of deputy chief minister, Virbhadra said: ‘‘This demand had come up in the past also. But in view of the small size of the state, and the additional expenses involved, it is not prudent.’’ Stokes, who met Sonia again today, confessed: ‘‘Though it was being discussed, the party leadership felt that it is too small a state to have a deputy chief minister.’’Another factor that had worked against Stokes’ becoming a deputy chief minister is the fact that she also belongs to the same region and community as Virbhadra, which would get ‘over-represented’ in the dispensation.Sources said Stokes was offered the post of Speaker in the state Assembly but she she turned down. Talking of the new Cabinet, Virbhadra said: ‘‘All sections of the state would be given representation in the Cabinet, especially women and youth, who have defeated BJP stalwarts.’’On corruption charges against former chief minister P.K. Dhumal, Virbhadra said all the corruption cases would be investigated but clarified that there would be no ‘‘witch-hunting’’. He said since fighting corruption was his party’s poll plank, he would provide a transparent and clean administration.
