Congress general secretary Sushil Kumar Shinde today said the party will contest the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections under a "collective leadership".
The in-charge of organisational affairs for the state also ruled out any change in the leadership of the party's state unit and the Congress Legislative Party (CLP).
"We take decisions keeping the ground situation in view and we will fight the elections collectively and decide the leader later," Shinde told reporters here.
The Congress leader's announcement comes close on the heels of repeated assertions by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh that the state polls will be fought under his leadership.
On party affairs and the rift between the state Congress chief and Singh, Shinde said, "Introspection has been done and there are no barriers left now, and the people responsible for it will be kept at bay."
Flanked by Singh and state party chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the former union minister said, "I have told the PCC chief (Sukhu) to meet the chief minister once every week to brief him about the party's activities, and Singh will also come to the party office and sit with Sukhu for election planning."
The government has done unprecedented development work this time, he said.
On allegations that some Congress leaders were siding with the BJP, Shinde said there were some doubts but these have been cleared.
"The Congress is not in a hurry on ticket distribution for the ensuing poll and I would visit different districts, including tribal areas, from August 16 to 20. I will work on ticket distribution later. We will consider young faces for ticket, but only those who are socially active and enjoy good image," he said.
On the party's 'One-Family, One-Ticket', Shinde said, "The criteria differs from state to state and it cannot be decided in a single meeting and there is still time to take decision on ticket distribution."
Not taking serious notice of slogan shouting against Sukhu on his arrival in Shimla, he said, "It happens in the Congress party, the workers are leaders are spirited, they quarrel and then come together for the party's cause and we are not like the BJP, which throws out the leaders.
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