In Himachal's Deputy Chief Minister Choice, Congress's Balancing Act

Mukesh Agnihotri was born on October 9, 1962 in Sangrur, Punjab, to Omkar Chand Sharma, a District Public Relations Officer.

Mukesh Agnihotri, the leader of the opposition in the outgoing Himachal Pradesh assembly, will be the first Deputy Chief Minister of the hill state in what is being seen as a balancing act of the grand old party following protests by loyalists of the royals after Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was announced the new Chief Minister. Mr Agnihotri is formal royal and six time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh's protege.

Ahead of the big announcement, naming Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu the Chief Minister, state Congress president and Virbhadra Singh's wife Pratibha Singh had staked claim to the top job, with a stern warning for the party high command. Her supporters mobbed the hotel where the party's central observers were staying, and raised slogans in her support. They had even stopped the car of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, one of the central observers, before the party's crucial meeting, and asserted their support for Pratibha Singh.

Mr Agnihotri's appointment is being seen as an olive branch to assuage the ex-royals, and contain factionalism in the state unit. Pratibha Singh had reportedly even batted for him to be made the Chief Minister after she was ruled out herself.

Mukesh Agnihotri is carrying on the political legacy of his father Omkar Chand Sharma, who had also contested Assembly elections on a Congress ticket. After his defeat, Mukesh Agnihotri was fielded by Congress from the Santokhgarh constituency.