Stokes named chairperson of Congress coordination panel for Himachal polls

In a bid to assuage senior Congress leader Vidya Stokes after election authorities rejected her nomination papers for the Himachal Pradesh polls, the Congress on Friday appointed her chairperson of the coordination committee for the November 9 assembly elections in the state.

Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was earlier appointed convener of the coordination committee. Now, a position of chairperson was created for Stokes.

Others who are part of the coordination committee include Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Sukhu, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma, Viplove Thakur, G.S. Bali, Thakur Kaul Singh and Asha Kumari.

Election authorities had earlier rejected the nomination papers of Stokes for the Theog seat due to "discrepancies" in her documents.

Stokes, 89, would have been the oldest contestant if she had remained in the electoral fray. She represented Theog in the outgoing House.

--IANS

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